In modern life, antibacterial products, ranging from antibacterial handwashing fluids, antibacterial foods and antibacterial textiles, claim to be effective against bacteria and to make our living environment healthier and healthier. But is it true that antibacterial products don’t interfere as they say? Let’s go deep into the truth.
First, we need to understand the characteristics of bacteria. Bacteria are a small, single-celled group of organisms that have great adaptive and reproductive capacity. In our surrounding environment, bacteria are almost everywhere, and there may be a great deal of bacteria in air, water, soil, surfaces of objects, etc. The principle of function of antibacterial products is usually to suppress or kill bacteria by adding specific antibacterial agents. Common antibacterial agents include silver ion, ammonium salt compounds, etc. These antibacterial agents are capable of destroying the cytowall, membrane or interfering with the metabolic process of bacteria, thus achieving antibacterial effects.
However, antibacterial products are not universal. On the one hand, antibacterial effects of antibacterial products are limited. Different antibacterial agents have different inhibitions and extinctions for different types of bacteria. For example, an antibacterial product may have a better antibacterial effect on coliform, but the effect on golden grapes may be significantly reduced. Moreover, bacteria are constantly evolving and mutating, and some bacteria may gradually develop antibacterial resistance. When bacteria produce resistance, antibacterial products that are otherwise effective may become ineffective.
On the other hand, the environment in which antibacterial products are used and how they are used can affect their antibacterial effects. Antibacterial effects can be affected if antibacterial products are contaminated during their use, such as vials of antibacterial hand-washing fluids, which are contaminated again by dirty hand touching. At the same time, it is difficult to achieve the desired antibacterial effect if the dose, the time of impact, etc. of the antibacterial product is not met. For example, when antibacterial wet towels are used, it may not be possible to clean up the bacteria completely if they are only slightly wiped.
In addition, overdependence on antibacterial products may pose some potential problems. The human body itself has a certain immune system, and under normal circumstances the presence of a small number of bacteria can stimulate the development and improvement of the immune system. The long-term use of anti-bacterial products and over-cleaning of the environment may result in inadequate exercise of the human immune system, thereby reducing immunity. Moreover, some antibacterial agents may pose a certain risk to human health. For example, some antibacterial agents may cause skin allergies and long-term exposure or ingestion may also have adverse effects on the endocrine system, nervous system, etc. in humans.
So how should we view and use antibacterial products correctly? First of all, when choosing an anti-bacterial product, you have to look rationally at its propaganda and not blindly believe in the so-called exaggeration of the “bacterium-free.” The product can be viewed for relevant detection reports and for its antibacterial effects on specific bacteria. Second, for antibacterial products to be used on the basis of actual demand, they are not required on all occasions. For example, in the daily cleaning of households, common cleaning materials, combined with the right cleaning methods, can often achieve better cleaning and hygiene outcomes. Finally, care should be taken to rationalize the use of anti-bacterial products and to avoid overuse, as well as to prevent secondary contamination of anti-bacterial products in the course of their use.
Antibacterial products can help us in a way to protect ourselves from bacteria, but they are by no means the magic of a hundred bacteria. We need a proper understanding of its role and limitations and a rational use of science if we are to safeguard health while avoiding possible adverse effects.
