Surfactants as Antimicrobials: A Brief Overview of Microbial Interfacial Chemistry and Surfactant Antimicrobial Activity

In this brief overview of a large and complex subject, as presented at the 2018 Surfactants in Solution conference, the need for, and impact of, hard surface antimicrobial products is demonstrated. The composition of the interfaces of three common classes of pathological microbes, bacteria, viruses, and fungi, is discussed so that surfactant and cleaning product development scientists better understand their interfacial characteristics. Studies of antimicrobial efficacy from the four major classes of surfactants (cationic, anionic, amphoteric, and nonionic) are shown. The need for preservatives in surfactants is elucidated. The regulatory aspects of antimicrobials in cleaning products to make antimicrobial claims are stressed.