182k views
2 votes
What concentration of bleach can be used to kill parvovirus?

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

To kill parvovirus, a diluted bleach solution with a sufficient concentration of sodium hypochlorite is necessary. The CDC recommends a 1:32 bleach-to-water ratio, assuming typical household bleach has around a 5% concentration. A 7.4% NaOCl bleach would contain 7.4 grams of NaOCl per 100 grams and needs to be diluted appropriately.

Step-by-step explanation:

To effectively kill the parvovirus, it's generally recommended to use a bleach solution with a sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) concentration strong enough to act as a disinfectant. While typical household bleach has a sodium hypochlorite concentration of around 5.25% to 6%, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using a solution of at least 1:32 (1 part bleach to 32 parts water), which equates to approximately a 0.15625% concentration (assuming the original concentration is 5%) when dealing with parvovirus on surfaces.

For example, if we consider a typical liquid bleach with a concentration of 7.4% NaOCl by mass, this would mean that a 100.0-g sample of such bleach contains 7.4 grams of NaOCl. To create a disinfectant effective against parvovirus, one might dilute this bleach appropriately. It's important to note that higher concentrations, such as undiluted bleach, could be more effective but may also be more corrosive and harmful to certain surfaces and materials.

User Santosh Tiwary
by
7.7k points