39.2.1 Thenatureof industrial cleanersand disinfectants
In mostcases, cleaners and disinfectants are multiple-componentpreparations.
Tables 39.1±39.4givean overview regardingthe possible ingredients and their
purpose in commonformulationsof hygieneproducts. The list of componentsis
intended onlyas an informative overviewwithexamples, and not as a complete
list of all possible ingredientsin hygiene products and theirnature.
39.2.2 Thechallengeof analysingcleanersand disinfectants
Tables 39.1±39.4 demonstrate the complexity of cleaner and disinfectant
formulations.Thereis alwaysmorethan one chemical compoundto analyse. An
additionalfactorto be considered is the fact that nearly all industrialhygiene
products are of technical grade.This meanstheremustbe certain allowancesfor
variationswithinacceptablelimitsregardingthe percentageof an ingredientin a
formula (qualitycontrol).Furthermore, the majority of raw materials usedin
industrial hygiene products are of technical grade, too. By-products and
variations haveto be acceptedwithinagreed specifications. Thisis no problem
Table39.1 Aciddescalersand cleaners
Ingredient Example Purpose
Inorganicacids Nitricacid Owingto its oxidisingpropertiesat higher
concentrationsnitricacidcannotbe usedin more
complexformulations,e.g. withsurfactants.Its use
is limitedto descalersfor removinginorganic
residuesas waterscale,milkstone,beerstone,etc.
fromsurfaces.
Phosphoricacid Theseacidspermita combinationwithsurfactants,
Sulphonicacids foam-controllingagentsand othermaterials
Sulphuricacid supportinga cleaningprocessand maybe usedin
formulationsfor removinginorganicresiduesas
Organicacids Formicacid wellas organicresiduesat the sametimefrom
Citricacid foodcontactsurfaces.
Lacticacid
Gluconicacid
Sulphamicacid
Inhibitors Phosphonic Protectmaterialsagainstchemicalattack.
acids
Surfactants Non-ionicor Providecleaningefficacyregardingorganicsoil;
anionic enhancescale-removingpropertiesand are
surfactants the choicefor removingfat residues.
Defoamers Hydrophobic Suppressfoamoccurringfromformulacomponents
non-ionics and/orremovedsoil.
Stabilisers Hydrotrophic Stabiliseliquidformulationsat highand/orlow
substances temperatures
674 Handbookof hygiene controlin the foodindustry