The Effects of Surfactant Systems and Moisturizing Products on the Residual Activity of a Chlorhexidine Gluconate Handwash Using a Pigskin Substrate

Abstract

A series of handwashing experiments using a pigskin substrate and Serratia marcescens as the contaminant compared the residual activity of a chlorhexidine detergent handwash product alone and in combination with anionic and nonionic-based moisturizing products and surfactant systems. The anionic based moisturizing products and the anionic surfactant system almost completely destroyed the residual antibacterial activity of the chlorhexidine, while the nonionic-based products had minimal effect.