Final answer:
Antiseptic agents should be selectively effective against microorganisms, able to penetrate without causing damage, and safe for living tissues. Their efficacy can be affected by environmental factors and is sometimes compared to phenol using the phenol coefficient.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ideal properties of skin antiseptic agents are those that effectively maintain anti-microbial action while being safe for use on living tissues. Antiseptics like hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol must be able to penetrate deeply without causing tissue damage and be selectively effective against microorganisms. Triclosan, a phenolic compound found in antibacterial soaps, inhibits bacterial fatty-acid synthesis, serving as an example of a targeted antiseptic agent. Surfactants and quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) disrupt membranes and are used in various settings from household cleaners to oral rinses.
It's important to note that the effectiveness of antiseptics can be influenced by environmental conditions such as temperature, pH, and length of exposure. The phenol coefficient is an older measure of comparing the effectiveness of antiseptics against phenol, which was historically the standard. While this coefficient is less commonly used today, it provides insight into the relative efficacy of antimicrobial agents.