BacShield_SDS_safety_data_sheet

Bac-Shield Chitosan-Based Antimicrobial is
EPA-Registered for control of odor-causing microbes
EPA Reg# 81446-2, EPA Est# 081446-NC-002, CA EPA Reg # 81446-2-AA
Bac-Shield(tm) is the antimicrobial of HeiQ ChemTex.

Used as directed, Bac-Shield makes an article or surface an unsuitable environment for the growth of mold, mildew, fungi or bacteria. Odors are a by-product of bacterial growth and wastes.  By inhibiting the growth of odor-causing microbes, Bac-Shield reduces the resulting wastes and the odors and degrading of articles they cause.

Bac-Shield is available as a concentrate for application during manufacturing or in an RTU (ready to use) form for all other applications.

Chitosan’s Antimicrobial Properties
Bac-Shield’s active ingredient is Chitosan, the second most abundant naturally occurring compound, after cellulose. Chitosan is known to possess anti-bacterial properties, which allows it to be used as an active ingredient in antimicrobial pesticides. (EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0566-0019; Chitin Case 6063)

Chitosan works in two ways. First, Chitosan reacts with molecules on the surfaces of cell walls, forming a layer that nutrients the cell needs cannot pass through. Second, Chitosan punctures cell walls, disrupting the cell’s food production and its reproduction.  Thus the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold, mildew, and fungi are inhibited.

Bac-Shield, made from Chitosan, is different from products that clean or disinfect articles.  Bac-Shield works between cleanings to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold, mildew, and fungi that cause odor, stains, discoloration, decay and deterioration of treated materials.

From Chitosan to Bac-Shield
Like most industrial Chitosan, the Chitosan in Bac-Shield is derived from the Chitin in waste crab shells–an abundant renewable resource with a long history of use in cosmetics and shampoos, medical bandages, even toothpaste and dietary supplements.

Shells are collected from the crabbing industry of the North Atlantic and Alaska. Between 2,000 and 3,000 metric tons of crab shell waste is produced annually. About 1% of this is used to produce Chitosan. Shell waste is sent to Asia in shipping containers that might otherwise have had to return to Asia empty.

Raw shells are processed to remove calcium and protein.  The principal by-products of this process are animal feed, fertilizer and “salt water”.  (View Bac-Shield for Chemists for a more technical and detailed explanation of how Chitosan is produced and how it works.)

The end product, Chitosan, is biodegradable and hypoallergenic and it is not a dermal sensitizer.

Bac-Shield is Effective and Durable
The effectiveness and durability of Bac-Shield has been demonstrated using industry-standard tests.

AATCC Test Method 174-1998 Antimicrobial Activity Assessment of Carpets. Part 1 and Part 2.
Heat helps make the treatment more durable. HeiQ ChemTex also offers a binding agent to enhance the durability of Bac-Shield.

BacShield Synthetic Turf PDF

Origin

Bac-Shield’s active ingredient is Chitosan. Chitin and Chitosan are naturally occurring β-1,4-linked linear polysaccharides. Chitin is essentially a homopolymer of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranose. Chitosan is the N-deacetylated derivative of Chitin, most of whose glucopyranose residues are 2-2-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranose.

Production

Chitin is most commonly derived from crustacean shells, particularly from crabs and shrimp. Commercially, Chitosan is prepared through the deacetylation of Chitin. Chitin is extracted by acid treatment to dissolve the calcium carbonate followed by alkaline extraction to dissolve the proteins and by a depigmentation step to obtain a colorless product mainly by removing the astaxantine. Two production chemicals, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide, are neutralized to create “salt water”.

Bac-Shield Manufacturing Process
How Chitosan Works

Two main mechanisms have been suggested as the cause of the inhibition of microbial cells by Chitosan. The first is its interaction with anionic groups on the cell surface that, due to its polycationic nature, causes the formation of an impermeable layer around the cell, preventing the transport of essential solutes.  The second involves the inhibition of the RNA and protein synthesis by permeation into the cell nucleus.* Chitosan has been an object of study for decades and there are many publicly available reports describing the activity of chitosan, for example:

A more extensive explanation of the chemical properties and effects of Chitosan is provided in Goy, Rejane C., de Britto, Douglas, and Assis, Odilio B.G. (2009) “A review of the antimicrobial activity of chitosan”, Polímeros 19(3).

The relationship between chitosan’s antibacterial activity and the surface characteristics of bacterial cell walls is presented in Chung, Ying-chien et al. (2004) “Relationship between antibacterial activity of chitosan and surface characteristics of cell wall“, Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 25(7) pp. 932-936.
A summary of research on the relationship between the physicochemical properties of Chitin and Chitosan and their behaviors is presented in Aranaz et al. (2009) “Functional Characterization of Chitin and Chitosan“, Current Chemical Biology 2009(3).

Laboratory Tests of Bac-Shield’s Effectiveness
Bac-Shield has been tested using a variety of methods, including AATCC-100, 147 and 174 and ASTM 2149.
AATCC Test Method 174-1998 Antimicrobial Activity Assessment of Carpets. Part 1 and Part 2.  These tests were run under laboratory conditions against a gram-negative organism and a gram-positive organism. Results during use may be different due to surface and environmental properties.
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* Helander I, Nurmiaho-Lassila E, Ahvenainen R, Rhoades J, Roller S.(2001) “Chitosan disrupts the barrier properties of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria”, International Journal of Food Microbiology 71 pp.235-44.  Liu X, Yun L, Dong Z, Zhi L, Kang D. (2001), “Antibacterial action of chitosan and carboxymethylated chitosan”, Journal of Applied Polymer Science 79(7) pp. 1324-35

• Synthetic Turf / Artificial plastic grass Athletic Fields.
• Athletic Apparel, Athletic Equipment, Locker Rooms, Floor Mats, Carpets, Shower walls.
• Athletic facilities, health club, training facilities, carpets, mats, floors, equipment and furniture.
• Professional apparel and equipment.
• Home / commercial textiles and furnishings.
• Anti-bacteria, anti-virus, odor control treatment for reconditioning apparel and equipment.