Identification and quantitative analysis of degradation products of chlorhexidine with chlorhexidine‐resistant bacteria with three‐dimensional high performance liquid chromatography

The products of the degradation of chlorhexidine by two chlorhexidine‐resistant strains of Achromobacter xylosoxidans , isolated from an ultrasonic hand washer, were identified by three‐dimensional HPLC. In the degradation process a pathway forming p ‐chlorophenol, probably through p ‐chloroaniline, was also observed, as was a pathway forming phenol and pyrogallol. The quantitative measurement of these products at their maximum absorption spectra by two‐dimensional HPLC suggested the presence of chlorhexidine‐degrading enzymes.