Which substance is used to decrease Clostridia difficile contamination in the environment?

Sodium hypochlorite is widely recognized as an effective disinfectant for reducing Clostridium difficile contamination in various environments, particularly in healthcare settings where the risk of hospital-acquired infections is a concern. This substance is a chlorine-based compound known for its strong antimicrobial properties.

The effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite against Clostridium difficile is largely due to its ability to denature proteins and disrupt cellular structures, leading to the organism's inactivation. Due to the resilient nature of C. difficile spores, which can survive various disinfectants, sodium hypochlorite is often recommended because of its sporicidal activity when used at appropriate concentrations. Specifically, a diluted solution of sodium hypochlorite (often around 10,000 ppm) is effective for cleaning surfaces that may be contaminated with these spores.

Other listed substances either do not exist or are not effective for this specific purpose. Therefore, sodium hypochlorite's proven efficacy in the context of C. difficile makes it the correct choice in this scenario.