The Application Development and Technological Innovation of Polyhexamethylene Guanidine (PHMG) in Multiple Fields

Polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG), as an efficient and safe polymer fungicide, has permeated into more than ten fields such as medical care, daily chemicals, agriculture, and industry, thanks to its broad-spectrum antibacterial properties, persistent antibacterial ability, and environmentally friendly characteristics. The following is a systematic analysis combined with the current application status and technological breakthroughs in the industry:

I. Medical Care and Public Health

Disinfection of Medical Instruments: A 0.1%-0.5% PHMG ethanol solution is used for disinfecting medical devices such as surgical instruments and endoscopes. It can inactivate pathogens like the hepatitis B virus and HIV virus within 3 minutes, and its corrosiveness is reduced by 90% compared with chlorine-containing disinfectants.

Wound Care: Medical dressings containing 0.02% PHMG can inhibit drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and accelerate the healing of chronic wounds, which is suitable for scenarios such as burns and diabetic foot.

Epidemic Prevention and Control: During the COVID-19 pandemic, PHMG disinfectant was used for air purification in hospitals and hand disinfection. It has no irritation to mucous membranes and can replace alcohol-based products for the treatment of open wounds.

II. Textile and Daily Chemicals

Functional Textiles: After being treated with PHMG, fabrics such as underwear and towels still maintain an antibacterial rate of over 99% against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans even after 120 times of washing. At the same time, the shrinkage rate is reduced by 30%.

Antibacterial Wet Wipes: A concentration of 0.2%-0.3% is used for the surface treatment of baby wipes and sanitary napkins, effectively preventing urinary tract infections without the risk of skin sensitization.

Upgrading of Detergents: Replacing chlorine-containing laundry detergents, PHMG-added detergents can extend the lifespan of colored clothes and avoid the problem of fading.

III. Agriculture and Aquaculture

Prevention and Control of Aquatic Diseases: Soaking fry of fish and shrimp in a 0.02% PHMG solution can achieve a 100% killing rate of Vibrio, reduce the pollution of algae in the culture pond by 70%, and improve the survival rate of fish and shrimp.

Fresh-keeping of Fruits and Vegetables: Treating fruits such as strawberries and citrus with a concentration of 0.05% can extend the shelf life by 15-20 days, inhibit the pathogen of gray mold disease, and leave no chemical residues.

Purification of the Livestock Environment: Spraying a PHMG solution in livestock and poultry houses can reduce the viral load of avian influenza by 50% and reduce the spread of animal diseases.

IV. Industry and Environmental Protection

Paper-making Anticorrosion: Adding 30 ppm of PHMG to the pulp can inhibit the formation of slime, extend the cleaning cycle of the paper machine to more than 30 days, and at the same time reduce the deposition of calcium carbonate.

Anticorrosion of Water-based Materials: A concentration of 0.05%-0.5% is used in products such as latex paint and adhesives to prevent microbial spoilage. The decomposition temperature can reach above 300°C without affecting the stability of the materials.

Sewage Treatment: As a component of the composite flocculant, PHMG can remove cyanobacteria and fungal spores, improve the transparency of water quality, and is suitable for industrial circulating water systems.

V. Safety and Market Trends

Toxicological Certification: The LD50 of 1% PHMG for mice is > 5000 mg/kg, and a 0.5% solution has no skin irritation. It has passed China's "Technical Specification for Disinfection" (2022 edition) and the EU standards for food contact materials.

Environmental Advantages: The biodegradation rate is over 90%, and the risk of environmental residues is low. The global market size is expected to exceed $1.2 billion in 2025, with an annual growth rate of 18%.

Technological Extension: The combination of PHMG and nanomaterials has developed intelligent antibacterial coatings, which are applied in fields such as medical devices and packaging materials, realizing the release of active ingredients on demand.

Application Suggestions:

- In the medical field, it is preferred to choose the ethanol compounded dosage form with a concentration of 0.1%-0.5%.

- For industrial anticorrosion, the concentration should be adjusted according to the pH value of the material (it is recommended to be 0.05%-0.5%).

- Avoid mixing with anionic surfactants such as soap to prevent inactivation.

The multi-scenario penetration of PHMG confirms its technical value of "one agent with multiple effects", and its innovative applications in fields such as biomedicine and intelligent materials in the future are worthy of continuous attention.