Very active nonmetallic elements such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
Low concentrations of chlorine and iodine are markedly lethal to vegetative bacteria, and can also be sporicidal, but their action is adversely affected by the presence of organic matter. Chlorine (as hypochlorite or chloramine) is used to disinfect water supplies; hypochlorites are used to disinfect clean surfaces and in the laboratory for contaminated glassware. Iodine as tincture ( 1 per cent in 70 per cent alcohol) is an active skin disinfectant, but inactivated by blood.
Any of a family of chemicals, including chlorine, bromine, fluorine, and iodine, used in drugs and disinfectants.
Any one of the elements (chlorine, bromine, iodine, fluorine, and astatine) forming Group VII of the periodic table. These elements have very similar chemical properties, combining with hydrogen to form acids and with metals to form salts.