Industry News, HI&I Cleaning Care
Immediate and Long-lasting Action against Bacteria and Viruses for Surfaces
Interview with Eric Gravier
Actizone® Business Development Manager at Syensqo
What are the key challenges facing disinfection today?
Today’s disinfection challenges are numerous and varied. Increasing travel has allowed for a greater diffusion of bacteria and viruses. Bacteria and viruses are also increasingly resistant to disinfectants, making it harder to reduce the spread of infections. In spite of improved public hygiene knowledge following COVID-19, there is still limited awareness of disinfection efficiency among consumers. This is further complicated by the fact that consumers find themselves in front of a huge variety of disinfection products that are lacking clear explanations concerning their activity and efficacy. Finally, and most importantly, the majority of current disinfection products have an efficacy of just a few minutes which is clearly not sufficient to increase the level of hygiene and protection.
Why is a 24-hour antimicrobial surface cleaner important?
We have recently emerged from a pandemic situation where we clearly saw the limits of our current protection systems. Population mobility had to be blocked due to the security risk of personal interaction. As a result, consumers have become increasingly invested in keeping their homes, offices and public spaces clean. However, while some traditional disinfectants provide benefits such as quickly killing germs present on a surface when cleaning, there is no guaranteed protection when surfaces are repeatedly touched between cleans. Bacteria and viruses can rapidly repopulate the surface and therefore spread to whoever touches that surface. The clear advantage of a long-lasting disinfectant cleaner is that the product delivers continuous germ protection over time and prevents people from becoming contaminated via surface touches. Long-lasting disinfectant cleaners are new powerful tools in the arsenal of weapons against germs.
What are the formulation requirements for a 24-hour surface disinfectant?
Today’s effective surface disinfectant solution needs to meet a series of complex challenges such as the wide spectrum of viruses and bacteria to kill, smart aesthetics that do not leave residue or stickiness, material compatibility, sustainability. Unfortunately, surfaces are vectors for the transmission of disease. Therefore, we need to turn the problem around by transforming the surface into a shield, rather than being a medium for proliferation. A long-lasting disinfectant can be designed to meet these challenges. Also, the fact that it needs to be used less and gives better protection, translates into increased value for money for the consumer.
What is Actizone® long-lasting protection range?
Actizone® F5 is a ready-to-use disinfectant cleaner for non-porous hard surfaces such as glass, steel, laminates, polycarbonates etc. Actizone® has a 3-in-1 action for improved daily hygiene: (1) optimal cleaning of surfaces, with an excellent shine and residue-free finish; (2) fast destruction of bacteria and enveloped viruses, including the influenza A virus and the COVID-19 virus; (3) up to 24-hour residual action against bacteria and enveloped viruses, even after repeated touches. Actizone® creates an ultra-thin film on the surface that only liberates killing agents when the surface is touched. It also exists in different concentrated versions.
Can Actizone® meet today’s disinfection challenges?
With Actizone® range, we can address most of them. By limiting germ proliferation on surfaces, we can help limit the geographical spread of bacteria and viruses. Additionally, the generation 5 quaternary ammonium compounds used in Actizone® do not create any sort of resistance as they simply destroy germ membranes, so nothing of the microorganism remains. Also, as Actizone® is a long-lasting antimicrobial solution, it has a greater ability to completely destroy microorganisms over time before they replicate and gain resistance.
How does Actizone® continue to kill germs between cleans?
People genuinely think a surface remains disinfected once cleaned. Existing products promote speed of disinfection with limited kill times. No one thinks viruses and bacteria return to the surface between 2 cleans, even though it seems logical. Very few products express the continuous length of disinfection activity. Actizone® maintains enough biocidal agents thanks to its ultra-thin film, allowing it to continue killing bacteria and viruses that fall onto the surfaces between cleaning.
Where should you use Actizone®?
Brands often want consumers to use a specific product for windows, another one for floors, kitchens, bathrooms, etc. Actizone® is a 3 in 1 product that cleans, disinfectants and maintains the surface for 24 hours and can be used for all surfaces such as windows, mirrors, floors, bathroom tubs & sinks. Segments with high population traffic such as hotels, gyms, airlines, cruise lines, leisure venues, shopping malls or locations which handle more fragile populations such as retirement homes, doctor’s practices, and clinical centers can also benefit from it.
How does the Actizone® technology work?
Actizone® technology is the result of decades of experience developing tailored solutions for cleaning markets, rigorous standard testing capabilities and technological expertise. A multipurpose and long-lasting disinfecting cleaner requires additional formulation steps to ensure certain benefits, and this innovative formulation leverages a unique combination of surfactants, intentionally chosen for detergency, removal of soils from surfaces and preventing redeposition. On drying, Actizone® products create an invisible ultra-thin protective film that retains antimicrobial actives that are chemical agents to kill or stop the growth of microorganisms. By delivering activity when and where needed, the proprietary film acts as a shield that kills bacteria and viruses up to 24 hours after application. Over the course of the day during the use of a surface, the thin film also resists multiple touches and recontamination events to give long-lasting antimicrobial performance. Moreover, the smart film does not build up after several applications. When applied again, Actizone®dissolves the underlying film, creating a fresh protective shield each time on drying.