OXITITAN AS AN ANTIMICROBIAL

The control of micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, mold and mildew on surfaces has long been a matter of human life or death. While we can temporarily disinfect a surface with strong cleaners, especially with powerful oxidizers, the need for effective, durable antimicrobial surfaces is an even higher priority today with the presence of multidrug resistant pathogens such as MRSA and C. difficile.

OxiTitan electrostatically traps and then kills all types of bacteria, viruses and fungal spores through the production of reactive oxygen species, especially hydroxyl radicals, one of the most powerful oxidizers of organics.

 
OxiTitan is effective as an active antibacterial by destroying the cell membrane and inducing oxidative DNA and protein damage of microbes. OxiTitan also acts as a bacteriostatic that inhibits bacterial growth through immobilization and also degrades all endotoxins resulting from bacteria death.

 
OxiTitan deactivates ALL dangerous microbes and restrains proliferation by damaging their components through radical oxidation. The spread of pathogens is also reduced due to the electrostatic binding at the surface. Independent lab tests show the photo-oxidative power of OxiTitan also kills dangerous spores such as Clostridium difficile and decomposes their toxins. Mold and mildew growth is inhibited by this same continuous photo-mineralization. Please visit our LAB TESTS pages for complete details.

Light energized OxiTitan works constantly, does not wear out and does not require new material to be exposed in order to be effective, as with bound ammonium salts, copper and silver. Unlike ALL other surface antimicrobials, OxiTitan is not a diluted chemical poison (phenols and quaternaries), dangerous pesticide (Microban) or heavy metal (silver ions). OxiTitan’s astounding oxidizing power comes from light itself. OxiTitan has no toxic side effects or environmental hazards. Like nature’s photosynthesis, OxiTitan simply uses the power of light on a catalyst to safely do its job.

OxiTitan does not cause resistant strains of microbes because its killing mechanism is strictly oxidative, not enzymic or antibiotic. OxiTitan is safe in all environments. There are no dangers of allergies, skin irritations or other deleterious effects. OxiTitan is extremely durable and long lasting and the mineral catalyst is not lost or worn out. The high-surface-area nanocrystals bind so permanently that polishing or abrasion is necessary to remove OxiTitan from treated surfaces.

Constantly working 24 hours a day to create an antiseptic surface, OxiTitan works in conjunction with temporal routine cleaning and hand hygiene to help protect against the spread of illness and infection. The antimicrobial efficacy, human and environmental safety, cost efficiency, and ease of application makes OxiTitan products the best choice available in microbial reduction surface coatings.

The Old Way

Unlike OxiTitan, conventional antimicrobial surface coatings use a dilution of a known poison, strong enough to kill microbes, but dangerous in higher strength and as they accumulate in the environment. In order for conventional antimicrobial surface treatments to work, the antimicrobial must be released from the surface matrix. These leaching antimicrobial surfaces typically contain antibiotics, phenols, and pesticides like triclosan, copper ions, quaternary ammonium compounds, or toxic heavy metals such as silver, tin and mercury. The fact that the antimicrobial is free to leave the surface has serious adverse effects on the durability, and limits the useful life of the treated material. Another potentially serious problem with leaching technologies is that the compounds are released into the environment at sub-lethal concentrations, having the known effect of increasing antimicrobial resistance throughout the microbial realm.

Today, the three commonly promoted biocide-releasing choices are the incorporated pesticide triclosan, as used in ‘Microban’, silver ions which must be incorporated into the material itself, and a polymer-ammonium chloride salt (Quats) applied as a thin coating. Unfortunately, unlike disinfectants, there are no recognized standards for surface antimicrobial performance. Claims for efficacy vary from bactericidal to at best biostatic, and stability and durability claims range widely.

Here is a comparison chart of performance.
 

The pesticide triclosan used in Microban has many health and environmental negatives and is not allowed in Europe, promotes antibacterial resistance and is ineffective against viruses.

Incorporated silver ions are effective against bacteria, although largely ineffective against viruses. However, silver is a highly toxic heavy metal like lead, mercury and arsenic and an ecological poison, particularly to fish and aquatic life. Recent research shows that silver is not effective unless the surface is wet, a condition rarely found on touchpoints. Ionic, colloidal and nanoparticle silver is highly reactive and has been a known carcinogenic for 40 years. Known health risks include accumulation in internal organs, bone marrow and tissue, neurological problems, lesions in the lungs and kidneys, arteriosclerosis and permanent skin discoloration (argyria). Silver is highly toxic in aquatic systems, concentrating exponentially in fish, shellfish and sediment, resulting in fish kill. Nanoparticle silver is particularly dangerous to beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria in soil. Its increased use, such as in ‘antibacterial’ clothing, poses long-term health and environmental risks and is under current regulatory restriction by the EPA. Silver particle use is strongly opposed by environmental scientists and wastewater treatment facilities.

Quaternary ammonium chloride salts attached to polymers can be applied to surfaces but suffer from the limitations of all leaching antimicrobials: dissipation of the organic biocide, particularly critical in a thin film coating. ‘Quats’ are also largely ineffective against non-enveloped viruses and are deactivated by surfactants found in ordinary detergents. Like silver, quats are toxic to fish. The polymer base does have a bacteria trapping effect but its electrostatic charge is not renewed, and as the biocide wears away and is used up bio-film growth is a potential problem. Mechanical stability and longevity are major issues in these quat coatings, especially on smooth surfaces. Useful life is no more than a month on frequently touched or cleaned surfaces, and even less if detergents or soaps are used.

Please visit our LIBRARY page for more information regarding the hazards and limitations of the old approaches to antimicrobial surfaces and an excellent review of all approaches on antimicrobial surfaces can be read in the article from The Journal of Materials Chemistry.