Disinfectants

Disinfectants are substances that are applied to non-living objects to destroy microorganisms that are living on the objects.Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially nonresistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than sterilisation, which is an extreme physical and/or chemical process that kills all types of life.

The US disinfectant and antimicrobial chemical market will grow five percent annually through 2009 based on concerns about bacterial and pathogenic threats. Phenolic compounds, iodophors, nitrogen compounds and organometallics will remain the top products. The dominant disinfectant segment will outpace antimicrobials.