Other Microbial Comparison

Making choices about which antimicrobial technology to use for your products is not easy.The word “bound,” embedded,”and “contained” is much different than “chemically bound.” Understand the facts about modes of action, safety in handling, and durability before choosing your antimicrobial.

Products with BIOSAFE properly integrated have high antimicrobial performance in ISO and ASTM testing. Typically, when a product performs with 3-logs (99.9%) or greater it will exhibit bacteriostatic, fungistatic, and algistatic properties in the finished good.

Most antimicrobial technologies are designed to pass through the cell wall and attempt to poison the microbe from the inside by interfering with the microbe’s metabolism and altering the microbe’s DNA. This may lead to mutation and adaptive microorganisms, i.e. resistant superbugs.

BIOSAFE is not metabolized by the microbial cells, instead it creates a network of electrically charged molecules on the surface, which rupture the cell wall on contact. BIOSAFE creates an invisible coating which bonds to the applied surface and is ready to destroy any microbes that come in contact with the surface. This physical rupturing of the cell wall is a superior way to kill a microbe. It does not promote resistant superbugs and it is not actively leached into the environment or person, as observed with silver or triclosan technologies.

Triclosan (Microban)

• Structurally similar to Dioxin and unstable when exposed to heat or UV light.
• Drug resistance identified by CDC
• Harmful to endocrine system in mammals
• Regulatory scrutiny in numerous countries

Silver Ion (AgIon)

• A leaching, heavy metal technology with environmental issues
• Silver changes product color
• Slower acting than BIOSAFE
• Commodity prices are rising

Monomer

• Residual methanol
• Difficulty of integration into many materials