Markets and applications

The European regulatory framework for the authorization of biocidal products (the ‘Biocidal Products Regulation’ or BPR) categorizes  biocides and their uses into 23 different Product Types, or PT-groups. Authorizations are tied to these product types, and therefore markets are usually closely associated with product types as well.

PT01 – human desinfectants

PT01 encompasses hand and skin disinfectants, meant to prevent indirect infections (hand to mouth contact) and cross-contamination (hand to hand contact, hand-object-hand contact). Uses as wound disinfection or skin disinfection prior to surgery explicitly do not fall under PT01; medical personnel hand disinfection (including surgeons’ pre-operative hand and forearm disinfection) do. TheOxide are developing a hygienic hand lotion based on the product Laquick, for consumer as well as for professional use.

PT02 – general disinfection

PT02 encompasses all disinfectant uses on inanimate objects, with the exception of objects and surfaces that come into contact with food (including beverages and drinking water), and surfaces associated with animal husbandry. This is a rather broad selection of applications, ranging from the disinfection of cut flower vessels at wholesale flower warehousing to operating room walls, from algae/green mold removal from garden furniture to removing black mold from bathroom tiles, and from disease prevention in the hospitality industry to odour removal in organic waste bins. Both Bioxyl and Laquick have PT02 applications.

PT03 – veterinary disinfection

PT03 is geared explicitly towards animal husbandry, from housing and transport vessel disinfection, to teat dips for use during milking, to prevention of cross-contamination during disease outbreaks (footwear and tyre baths). TheOxide are developing a broad spectrum veterinary disinfectant based on Laquick.

PT04 – disinfection of surfaces, materials, and objects that come into contact with food

Pt04 comprises all disinfection applications that have to do with food processing and food preparation – with the exception of the sterilization/decontamination of food itself; from workstations and cutting tools in kitchens (hospitality as well as health care kitchens) to brewing installations, from butcher shops and poultry retailers to the cleaning of drinking water pipes, and from milking equipment to consumer use on counter tops, anything that is associated with food preparation hygiene. As such, PT04 applications are indispensible in the prevention of food-borne illnessess – Salmonella infections, Norovirus outbreaks, you name it. TheOxide offer Bioxyl for professional set-and-forget disinfection of rooms and work areas, and are developing a rapid action (instant use) disinfectant for both professional and consumer use based on Laquick. Both products are characterized by the absence of harmful residues, no need to rinse or wipe after use, and the absence of environmental impact after use. Laquick furthermore features rapid action and sustainable ingredients. TheOxide also offer a concentrated version of Laquick for the rapid and reliable removal of biofilm from Legionella-contaminated drinking water systems, as integral part of a complete Legionella control system.

PT05 – drinking water (Legionella control)

PT05 specifically targets the disinfection of drinking water, both during production by water transport companies and as part of Legionella control in communal drinking water systems (buildings and institutions); but also as ad hoc drinking water disinfectant for the treatment of drinking water from unreliable sources, be it tap water, well water, or surface water. TheOxide provide complete Legionella control systems, including risk analysis, control plan, initial biofilm removal, and chemical control based on modern chlorine dioxide generator systems: TheOxide Twist. TheOxide can also provide Torox, for incidental or small scale chlorine dioxide application, whenever a generator system is not feasible due to low volume application, intermittent requirements or any other consideration. Torox is an on-demand solution for preparing chlorine dioxide stock solutions based on a binary granular formulation that can easily be stored for extended periods of time, until needed.