Antimicrobials are being used all around us, but we just do not know it. They destroy the growth of harmful organisms such as viruses and bacteria on inanimate objects and surfaces, but most of us are unfamiliar with that.
Good chances are the house you live in was treated with it, the hospital you visit has it on the floors and walls, the schools your children visit is coated with it, and the water from your faucet has been treated with it. From water treatment to medicine, hospitals to food processing, this valuable technology is everywhere and making a strong impact on today’s society. Understanding where antimicrobials are used allows us to see why they should be used. Let us visit the immense benefits that antimicrobials have in today’s life.
We created this article as at Bio Sealed, we specialize in antimicrobial treatments. Through output of dry fog machines (to deplete human error), we use a polymer antimicrobial solution to help prevent society from getting sick: in relation to this specific application. If we do not understand how something works, we are apprehensive to utilize it, so we wanted to lay out the fundamentals to help provide generic understanding.
Below we give you an understanding of what antimicrobials do, where they are used, and the benefits antimicrobial treatments have.
Brief Explanation:
Antimicrobial agents kill bacteria similar to how antiseptics and disinfectants kill bacteria. The difference however is that antiseptics and disinfectants kill bacteria immediately causing the bacterial cell to explode which prevents the multiplication of the bacteria. With antimicrobial polymers they operate in a multi-step process and are able to create a biostatic surface area. This is what gives them the ability to actively inhibit the growth of bacteria for up to 90-days. Since most bacterial surfaces are negatively charged, a positively charged antimicrobial polymer (what Bio Sealed uses) absorbs into the bacterial cell wall first to do a physical cell wall breakdown.
The antimicrobial agent is then spread across the cell wall and absorbed onto the cell membrane (also considered a cytoplasmic membrane). Due to the low molecular weight (and in combination to using dry fog machines that output at a small micron droplet size), antimicrobial agents are able to create the deterioration of the cell membrane which subsequentially leads to the death of the cell. With the right antimicrobial method, this process can actively last for up to 90-days.
In your home:
In high trafficked areas of your home you can accumulate germs that can make people sick. Even though you are using cleaning products, keep in mind there is an exceptionally large difference from cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing. If your cleaning products do not have an antimicrobial/antibacterial ingredient, it will clean the surface, but they will not typically be able to kill the germs that are on it. Always be aware of what ingredients exist in your home cleaning products and if you are getting the efficacy you have in mind.
Medical Facilities and Healthcare settings:
To keep the waiting rooms, operating rooms, emergency rooms, and frequented areas free of viruses and bacteria, antimicrobial disinfectants and sterilizers are the most commonly used today.
These common areas are not the only treated areas, however. It is quite common for doctor’s offices to use antimicrobial solutions on their floors, the walls, and equipment being used on a regular basis. This even includes porous surfaces. By using this technology, these facilities can help prevent the spread of certain infections that could present real dangers to the patients, nurses, and doctors, every day.
Industrial Industries:
Most of society is unaware, but antimicrobial processes are uses in industrial settings for water treatment systems, food processing facilities, and other vital operations. Ventilation systems are a perfect example as they regulate the heating and air conditioning for large buildings/facilities which are prone to microbial growth. Having antimicrobials to treat these systems, destroys dangerous bacteria that will subsequentially make people sick, as well as cause damage to the machinery.
Conclusion:
These are generic examples to give you an understanding about how antimicrobials are being used and the extreme benefit of them for day to day safety. This technology progresses daily and is providing a safer world for all of us.
Antimicrobial products are strictly regulated by the EPA to determine if that product will perform the specific function in which it is being registered for, without having risk to human health or to the environment.
What Bio Sealed does regarding antimicrobial treatments:
At Bio Sealed, we first output a 6-log reduction chemical in the environment to create a 99.9999% efficacy. This is essential to rid any unwanted pathogens. Once the PPM settle, we then output our polymer antimicrobial agent through our dry fog machines with an extremely small droplet size to target the entire cubic footage while depleting human error. This creates a biostatic surface area that will last for up to 90-days while normal cleaning routines are conducted.
To inquire further please visit biosealed.com. Thank you for taking the time to read our article and understand further the benefits of antimicrobial agents.
