THE EFFECT OF THE pH ON THE GERMICIDAL ACTION OF SOAPS.

1. The effect of the pH on the germicidal action of soaps has been studied. The lower members of the series were found to be most active in acid solution; the higher members, in alkaline. The point of transition varied with the test organism used. 2. This is probably due to the effect of the pH on the dissociation residue and on the solubility of the soap. The dissociation residue may affect the germicidal titer by modifying the surface tension, the penetration into the bacteria, and the partition coefficient of the germicide between bacteria and water. See PDF for Structure.