Orchem Corporation, a leading manufacturer and distributor of specialty chemicals, has launched a nationwide rollout of its Spectrum 24 Disinfectant targeted at the healthcare industry.

Spectrum 24 is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered, broad-spectrum antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral disinfectant that is formulated to offer up to 24 hour residual effectiveness while killing bacteria such as Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, VRE and MRSA in just 30 to 120 seconds. Viruses such as influenza A can be neutralized in 10 minutes or less.  Most other disinfectants only provide a surface kill; once touched it becomes a target for infections again until the areas has been cleaned; Spectrum 24 is designed to hold its effectiveness for 24 hours.

“Providing a safe, sterile environment for patients 24/7 is one of the biggest challenges facing the healthcare industry,” says Oscar Robertson, owner of Orchem Corporation. “Spectrum 24 enables healthcare professionals to meet that challenge in a manner that was not possible until now. Spectrum 24 is both the most effective and the most environmentally friendly disinfectant available today. It helps healthcare providers reduce risk by killing dangerous bacteria faster -- particularly MRSA, which is resistant to other disinfectants currently in use -- and also offers considerable cost savings because of its longer residual effectiveness.”

Unlike other disinfectants which are ethanol- and ammonium chloride-based, Spectrum 24 is based on a patented new molecule, silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC), comprised of silver ions and citric acid. The silver ion deactivates structural and metabolic membrane proteins, halting the microbe’s ability to replicate and leading to its death.

Spectrum 24 has a toxicity rating of IV, the lowest assigned by the EPA, compared with the II rating of ammonium chloride disinfectants. Spectrum 24 is designed to be colorless, odorless, non-corrosive, non-flammable, non-staining, and does not cause the skin irritation associated with other traditional disinfectants. Designed for use on hard, non-porous surfaces, Spectrum 24 can be applied by spraying or direct contact.

“We have had excellent feedback from those healthcare facilities which have been early adopters of this product,” says Robertson. “While we ultimately plan to serve many different segments of the commercial, institutional, educational and residential markets, the most critical need for our product right now is in the healthcare field. Thus we are focusing an increased sales and marketing effort on better serving that field.”