Technology Briefing: Chemical Fog Room Disinfection Devices

Here's a briefing on chemical fog room disinfection systems, outlining the key considerations for making wise purchasing decisions. We review how and where the technology is used, which applications it is best suited to, the strength of the evidence to support its use, and more.

Chemical fog room disinfection systems disperse a controlled amount of chemical fog (i.e., a suspension of liquid droplets in a gas) to provide supplemental disinfection after manual cleaning and disinfection of nonporous surfaces (e.g., medical equipment, solid countertops) within an enclosed, unoccupied space. They are not intended to be used for disinfecting porous surfaces. Products can be mobile or installed in a permanent location (e.g., laboratory wall). When used according to the instructions for use (IFU), chemical fog room disinfection systems can provide supplemental disinfection to further reduce bioburden on precleaned, pre-disinfected, dry environmental surfaces in healthcare (e.g., ambulances, ORs), industrial (e.g., manufacturing facilities), and commercial (e.g., recreational facilities, offices) settings.

These products consist of the following:

1. Mobile or stationary unit with:

a) A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved chemical (e.g., quaternary ammonium, hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid, silver nitrate) solution with labeled claims for nonporous chemical fog room disinfection1

b) An aerosolizer that creates and disperses a measured amount of chemical fog

c) Handheld chemical sensors that measure chemical fog concentration...