Assessment of the disinfection efficacy of hydrogen peroxide in neonatal bathing water pipelines

Min Liu¹, Richun Liu¹, Xiujuan Qu¹, Yuanli Chen^1*

¹Department of Hospital Infection Control, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, Guangdong, China.

*Correspondence:

Yuanli Chen; Email: chenyl1990@126.com

Abstract

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common conditional pathogen in newborn infant wash water, which can cause severe infections in neonates through direct contact or inhalation of aerosols. This study aimed to evaluate the disinfection efficacy of 0.4% hydrogen peroxide against P. aeruginosa contamination in newborn wash water and determine the optimal disinfection cycle.

Methods Pipelines were disinfected for 8 hours using a 0.4% hydrogen peroxide solution. Cold water was continuously monitored from five infant wash basins across four wards in the neonatal department for 12 weeks, with samples collected before disinfection, 1 day after disinfection, and weekly thereafter. The water samples were cultured at 35–37 °C for 48 hours, colony counts were recorded, and P. aeruginosa was identified using mass spectrometry. After determining the disinfection cycle, further monitoring and validation were conducted.

Results There was a 100% qualification rate in the first 3 weeks following the disinfection procedure. However, an obvious increase in the disqualification rate was observed in the fourth week. A second validation confirmed a similar trend, which indicates an elevated risk of recurring contamination after a 4-week disinfection cycle.

Conclusion The 8-hour soaking method using 0.4% hydrogen peroxide demonstrated short-term efficacy and was suitable for high-frequency disinfection of newborn wash water. This study provides scientific evidence for the prevention and control of P. aeruginosa contamination in neonatal wash water, and emphasizes the importance of multidimensional interventions.

Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, neonatal department, hydrogen peroxide disinfection, water quality monitoring, disinfection cycle