Biocide

Water treatment has not seen any innovation in terms of biocidal substances for half a century

Chlorine, bromine and isothiazolone are the 3 most widely used conventional products on the European market. However, the effectiveness of these products is reputed to be insufficient: many publications report that legionellae (plankton in water and sessile in biofilm) can be resistant to chemical biocides.

An economic and environmental impact 

In addition to their economic impact linked to side effects (environmental taxes, water consumption, corrosion of installations, etc.), chemical biocides are also dangerous for humans and the environment.

Products that are not sustainable in the long term

Finally, it has been shown that the use of chemical biocides can select bacterial populations and promote bacterial resistance to antibiotics, one of the greatest health challenges of the 21st century according to the WHO.

Nevertheless, the lack of an alternative has forced manufacturers and water treatment professionals to adopt this chemical solution.

Our breakthrough biocide controls the legionella level, both those present in the water and those colonizing the biofilm.

The effectiveness of the biocide is due to the natural properties of the amoeba Willaertia magna C2c Maky, a predator of pathogenic bacteria and other free amoebae.

For the first time in 50 years of industrial water treatment, Amoéba gives industry the opportunity to choose a responsible alternative.

It would be the only biocide used in cooling towers that would be without hazard class for human health and the environment

The absence of toxicity, pathogenicity and ecotoxicity of the active substance Willaertia magna C2c Maky allows our product to be classified without hazard class (neither physical risks, nor risks to human and animal health, nor environmental risks) according to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP). The biocide is biodegradable and non-persistent in the environment.

Proven effectiveness

The control of legionella and biofilm has been proven in numerous field tests on industrial air cooling towers.

Reduced costs

The use of our biocide reduces water consumption as well as the quantities of anti-corrosion products.

Compatibility with products used in water treatment

Amoeba’s biocide is compatible with the most commonly used anti-scale, anti-corrosion and anti-algae products.

In line with the Water Framework Directive and the European Green Pact

The Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC and its amendments) and the Green Pact aim in particular to strengthen environmental protection by progressively reducing the discharge of substances hazardous to the environment. Amoéba’s biological disruption technology, by eliminating the use of bromine, chlorine or isothiazolone chemicals, is in line with these policies.

A large panel of tests over 5 years, in France and abroad

More than twenty field trials have been carried out to evaluate the efficacy of the biological biocide BIOMEBA, whose active principle is the microorganism Willaertia magna C2c Maky.

This work, which ran from 2013 to 2018, was carried out in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, Italy and the United States, in collaboration with water treatment specialists and industrial companies.

A multitude of variables tested

The cooling systems tested ranged from 1m3 to 800 m3 , covering nearly 3 orders of magnitude of cooling tower sizes. Their characteristics were very different and covered a wide range of situations: new or old towers, different climates and seasons. The state of corrosion and scaling, as well as the quality of the make-up water were also varied: from very aggressive make-up water (TH=0°f) to scaled make-up water (50°f) were tested.

Strict protocols 

The experiments were carried out according to a protocol that made it possible to evaluate the efficiency compared to the usual chemical treatment: a chemical phase was generally carried out before the “biological treatment” using the BIOMEBA. The levels of legionella and biofilm were controlled according to the methods of the art.

The results of the various tests demonstrate the effectiveness of BIOMEBA in preventing the growth of legionella and controlling biofilm in cooling towers.