Herbal effervescent disinfectant tablets as a sustainable chlorine substitute in healthcare waste management: A case study

Chlorine-based disinfectants are widely used in healthcare waste treatment but are increasingly restricted due to their toxic byproducts and environmental impact.This study aimed to develop and optimize herbal-based effervescent disinfectant tablets using Piper betle and Cymbopogon citratus extracts as a safer, eco-friendly alternative.Effervescent tablets were formulated using sodium bicarbonate, citric and tartaric acids, PVP, and standardized ethanol extracts of P. betle and C. citratus.A Box-Behnken design within Response Surface methodology was applied to optimize three formulation variables (NaHCO), citric acid ratio, and PVP (against two critical response parameters) -effervescence time and foam height.Physical and microbiological evaluations were performed, including disinfection efficacy against Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus stearothermophilus on contaminated medical plastic waste.The optimized formulation demonstrated rapid effervescence (as low as 2.68 seconds) and effective foam generation (up to 0.5400 cm).NaHCO was the most significant factor influencing both disintegration and foaming behavior, with PVP and citric acid contributing through non-linear and interaction effects.Granule evaluation confirmed good flowability and compressibility (Hausner ratio < 1.25; Carr's index < 16%).The regression models showed excellent fit (R = 0.9999 for effervescence time, 0.9857 for foam height).Antimicrobial tests showed significant bacterial reduction, supporting practical efficacy.Herbal effervescent tablets formulated from P. betle and C. citratus offer a viable, low-toxicity alternative to chlorine-based disinfection for healthcare waste.This plant-based formulation aligns with WHO sustainability goals and represents a scalable innovation for improving infection control in resource-limited health systems.