CHLORINATED 4'-ALKYLUMBELLIFERYL ALPHA-D-GLUCOPYRANOSIDE AND METHOD OF ASSESSING EFFICACY OF A STERILIZATION PROCESS INCLUDING THE SAME

1 . A chlorinated 4′-alkylumbelliferyl α-D-glucopyranoside represented by the structural formula

wherein:

one of R 1 and R 2 is Cl and the other is H; and

R 3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms.

2 . The chlorinated 4′-alkylumbelliferyl α-D-glucopyranoside of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is Cl and R 2 is H.

3 . The chlorinated 4′-alkylumbelliferyl α-D-glucopyranoside of claim 1 , wherein R 2 is Cl and R 1 is H.

4 . The chlorinated 4′-alkylumbelliferyl α-D-glucopyranoside of claim 1 , wherein R 3 has from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

5 . The chlorinated 4′-alkylumbelliferyl α-D-glucopyranoside of claim 1 , wherein R 3 is methyl.

6 . A method of assessing efficacy of a sterilization process, the method comprising sequentially:

a) providing a biological sterilization indicator comprising:

i) bacterial spores comprising, and/or capable of producing, an enzyme capable of catalyzing cleavage of an enzyme substrate represented by the structural formula

wherein:

one of R 1 and R 2 is Cl and the other is H, and

R 3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms; and

ii) a composition, wherein the composition comprises the enzyme substrate, wherein if the composition is brought into contact with the bacterial spores to form a mixture, the mixture will have an initial pH in the range from 5.5 to 9.0;

b) subjecting at least the bacterial spores to the sterilization process;

c) contacting the composition with the bacterial spores; and

d) evaluating efficacy of the sterilization process.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein step d) comprises fluorescence spectroscopy.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein R 1 is Cl and R 2 is H.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein R 2 is Cl and R 1 is H.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein R is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein R is methyl.