MARKET FOR MICROBE-RESISTANT PRODUCTS EXPANDING, SAFE ANTIMICROBIAL RUBBER ANSWERS IMPORTANT INDUSTRY NEEDS

MILAN – (May 7, 2003) – The world around us is teeming with microscopic organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. In fact, scientists say that life as we know it would be impossible without microbes. Some microorganisms are highly beneficial to humans, helping us digest our food, decomposing our waste, and playing a key role in production of fermented foods like beer, wine, cheese, yogurt, vinegar, and seitan. However, other microbes can make us ill, cause ferrous metals to rust and food to spoil, or lead to stains and odors that can damage products and property. As a result, the demand for antimicrobial (AM) products is growing rapidly, with more than $1 billion (USD) now spent annually on biocides for items as diverse as food-processing conveyor belts, liquid soap, health and beauty aids, medical wound-care devices, catheters, and rubber mats.

By virtue of their function and end-use environment, certain products and applications are more prone to damage and deterioration from microbial growth than others. Food and beverage handling/processing equipment – whether a cutting board in a restaurant, appliance in the kitchen, or conveyor belting and rollers in a factory – are prime candidates. The same can be said about many packaging, medical device, and drug-production systems. Products used in wet or damp environments are also at risk. These could include anti-fatigue/anti-slip mats in medical and care settings and restaurants; caulk and weather-stripping for windows and baths; and, gaskets and seals in filtration systems. Furthermore, components located in hard-to-service areas of equipment provide similar challenges. Users must often disassemble machinery to clean these parts, or replace them entirely due to microbial growth.

Because of their chemical composition, certain materials are also more likely to support the growth of bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Under certain conditions, rubber compounds are particularly vulnerable to attack due to their chemical constituents, which provide an ideal source of nutrients to support growth and reproduction of microbes. Additionally, rubber parts are often used in warm, moist environments rich in microorganisms that provide ideal conditions for the proliferation of these life forms. This, in turn, can lead to cleaning challenges requiring significant equipment downtime and disassembly and premature deterioration of molded rubber parts.

In the battle to control microorganisms, the best approach has traditionally been to create multiple hurdles to discourage growth and reproduction of these life forms. Hence, in applications most prone toward and sensitive to microbial buildup, not only are chemical disinfectants used regularly to keep surfaces clean, but manufacturers also – for an extra measure of protection – often incorporate antimicrobial agents into the product’s material matrix to further inhibit growth within and on the surface of the part.

Originally developed for use as preservatives in liquid systems such as latex paint, deodorants, shampoos, liquid soaps, and other surface disinfectants, etc., some of these chemicals have subsequently been adapted for use in solid materials such as rubber. However, use of integral organic biocides has been characterized by a number of shortcomings, virtually all of them linked to a tendency of these biocides to migrate out of the polymer matrix.

Since these particular chemicals have a tendency to bloom to the surface and subsequently leach out of the material in which they are incorporated, not all areas of a product are protected, leading to zones of inhibition and non-inhibition. Furthermore, the microbe-suppressing properties tend to diminish over time as the additive migrates away, with some parts losing efficacy after only a few cleaning cycles or uses. Additionally, as these chemicals move out of the material, they can impart a disagreeable taste and/or smell to a molded part.

Of greater concern, although they are often highly effective in controlling or suppressing microbial growth, many h

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