Hydrogel Agriculture: Potassium Polyacrylate based Superabsorbent Polymer

Superabsorbent Polymer based on Potassium Polyacrylate is one of the revolutionaries as well as an economical way to solve the water crises in the irrigational field. This unique formulation has not only been able to solve water-centric irrigational issues but also has immensely contributed to the upgradation of soil texture upon application.

How it works?

This polymer upon contact with water, swells up, behaving like mini reservoirs and imparting water-retaining property to the plant roots, ensuring uninterrupted water supply and optimal growth. These granules mix up between soil particles and upon contact with water molecules swell up forming beads owing to water-absorbent technology.

These swollen potassium polyacrylate beads release water as upon required with osmotic pressure, to keep the surrounding environment moist whenever it starts drying up. Now, if these polymer granules are spread over the fields beforehand, the irrigational water can be stored and released helping in two way: • Less water drainage. • Reduced requirement of surface water

For any developing Nation, Agriculture contributes a lot to its economy. It sees through an overall aspect related to food security for the ever-increasing population, providing a source of hand to mouth for several rural area-based people.

Farming technology has evolved over the years similar to topology, soil conditions, geography, crop varieties, etc.; Still, there are places where conventional style of farming is still practiced which not only reduces the effective use of water but also limits the available resources.

The current period is seeing some dilemmas identified with consumption of natural assets, water being the most significant one of them, for the most part in dry and semi-dry regions because of inadequate and questionable precipitation. The interest for clean water is quickly expanding and its accessibility for the coming time is declining considerably quicker. The greater part of the accessible consumable water and the flow water system rehearses cannot oblige half of the developed yields because of shifted topographical elements of the sub-mainland and changed soil surfaces. These regions actually follow conventional practices which bring down the powerful utilization of water as well as reduction the utilization of accessible water for crops.

Mentioned even on Wikipedia, Chemtex Speciality Limited is one of first companies to manufacture “Alsta Hydrogel” as a basic, simple to use environment friendly agriculture polymer that farmers can successfully use to decrease water utilization without compromising on plant’s health and growth and yet yield rich green harvests even in dry spell conditions. It has a cross-linking molecular structure with a hydrophilic group attached, which absorbs water about 500 – 600 times its own weight. Even trapping rainwater which can be released later at the time of requirement over a longer drought, absorb nutrients from the soil which are utilized by plants for carrying out various physiological processes. One of the major advantages of “Alsta Hydrogel” is that it can be used on a wide variety of soil. Neither the polymer alters the chemical composition of soils on which it is applied, nor does it impair the action of applied biocides viz. fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, etc.

For more information, visit us at www.hydrogelagriculture.com

Chemtex Imidazoline based Corrosion Inhibitor, Emulsifying Agent, Flocculant Chemical

Now formulate specialty chemicals on your own with Chemtex manufactured Imidazoline range.

Imidazolines are heterocyclic group of compounds, having five membered rings with two nitrogen atoms. The nitrogen present in the structure enhances functional derivation, allows other various functional group of Imidazoline radical to work without effecting its paramagnetic properties. The head and the pendant group of the molecule bonds the same to surface while the hydrocarbon tail forms a protective layer or adsorptive layer.

The most widely used representative of the group is the tallow alkyl derivative. The unsaturated C₁₈ consists of one double bond in a CIS isomer configuration that lowers its melting point and is the sole reason behind its liquid state at room temperature. The saturated C₁₈ has no double bonds, providing rigidity to the molecule and raising the melting point with reduced flow ability.

Classified into two groups, Cationic & Amphoteric Imidazolines, the former is the Ammonium Mono Quaternary Salts with asymmetrical structure determined by cations, optically functioning in the aqueous solution where ionized.

• Cationic: The cationic imidazolines have positive charge on imidazoline nucleus and the electrical charge on the molecule remains unaffected by pH changes. Positive charge remains in acidic, neutral and alkaline medium.

• Hydroxy Ethyl Imidazolines: Hydroxy Ethyl Imidazolines are cationic imidazolines centred on fatty acid/ amino ethyl ethanolamine in the ratio 1:1 mostly applicable in deforming materials, oil/water soluble salts, enhancers and stabilizers used in lubricants, paper making processes and metal working systems.
• Amino Ethyl Imidazolines: Amino Ethyl Imidazolines are cationic imidazolines based on fatty acid / diethylenetriamine blended in 1:1 ratio, finding applications in corrosion inhibitors, dispersants, emulsifiers, etc.
• Amido Ethyl Imidazolines: Amido Ethyl Imidazolines are group of cationic imidazolines based on fatty acid / diethylenetriamine in 1:1 proportion, finding applications in textile products, acid detergents, thickeners, flocculants, etc.

• Amphoteric:
• Alkylamphoadiacetates
• Alkyliminopropionates
• Alkyl amphopropionate

Main Application Areas where Imidazoline based formulation are generally used

Oil and Petrochemicals: The adsorption of Imidazoline salts over metallic surface displaces water molecule and form a monomolecular hydrophobic layer over the same. The layer remains persistent over the surface and has the ability to withstand any type of water induced breakdown and acid corrosion.

Metallic Surface Treatment: Imidazolines are considered as excellent metallic surface cleaners, antiscalant and corrosion preventive.

Thickeners and Flocculants: The cationic Imidazolines precipitates the presence of negatively charged certain silicates, nitrates and borates on application.

Industrial sectors like Automobiles, Manufacturing, Oilfields, and Processing facilities have huge involvement of metals and the most crucial problem they face is of corrosion. Heavy Industry metals are prone to the attacks of corrosive substances like acids, bases, oxidizing agents, caustic effects, etc., which react with the metal electrons, decreasing its metallic property and resulting in total structural damage. 

Lubricants and Emulsifiers: As Emulsion, Stabilizers, Lubricity Improver and high grade Viscosifier, Imidazolines are used in number of industrial applications in textile, paper, latex manufacturing, cement processing, polymerization reactions and others.

Paint and Adhesives: When added to paint, it improves adhesive property and glutinousness to wet surfaces with increase in water proofing attribute.

Anti-Biocidal: Pentachlorophenol can be formulated with Imidazoline, primary ingredient of most of biocides, helps in prevention of mould and mildew. It ensures prevention from fungi, spores, bacteria and other organisms to the core that tend to detoriate the operating field conditions.

Medicinal and Pharmacological: Medicines having Imidazolines acts on receptors, manifesting broad spectrum activities such as Anti-bacterial, Anti-fungal, Anti-carcinogen, Anti-ulcer agent, Anti-allergic, Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anxiolytic, etc.

Chemtex Speciality Limited has been manufacturing Hydroxy, Amino and Amido class of Ethyl Imidazoline that meets extreme corrosion challenges for low and middle range temperature oil and gas extraction sites, downhole operations. Depending upon the working conditions, operating limitations and specific applications, these variants can be formulated as oil soluble, oil soluble/water dispersible or water soluble/oil dispersible. Moreover, these variants can also be formulated as thickeners, flocculants, paints, lubricants, emulsifiers, etc.

Chemtex’s class of Imidazolines

• Have high active matter content
• Have flexible solubility profile for different purposes by organic acid addition
• Are easy to handle, clear liquid at room temperature
• Have high film persistence independently proven through AFM parameters
• Are laboratory validated excellent sour corrosion inhibition performance for low salinity brines and moderate temperature
• Are strongly Cationic
• Are excellent Emulsifiers; Offers good lubricity
• Are good water repelling agent

For more information, kindly visit  www.chemtexltd.com

Water Conservation of the Future

Super Absorbent Polymer for Agriculture

The foundation of Indian economy upon which nearly 30 percent of our GDP is based and around 60% of our population is directly or indirectly dependent, is agriculture. It has paved the way for many industrial developments over the years ergo playing a vital role in the Indian economic development. Indian irrigation infrastructure comprises nearly 39 mHa land by ground water, 22 mHa with irrigation canals, and 2/3^rd is still monsoon dependent.

Water is one of the key elements in agriculture and agriculture requires significant amounts of water most of which is rain fed or harvested. Seeds and fertilizers fail to achieve full potential if plants are not watered regularly. With nearly 20% of the world’s population to feed, India has access to only 4% of fresh water resources, out of which 90% is used for agriculture.

 

With regional and temporal variation of rainfall, and an average rainfall of 125cm, India is home to great spatial variations of rainfall. Areas of less to scanty rainfall viz. Northern Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab, Karnataka and Deccan plateau, Upper Ganga valley, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu are most susceptible to drought with 54% of India’s arable lands depending on it. Annual rainfall of India being 1183mm, out of which 75% is received in a short span of four months (July – September).

 

Water scarcity has negative impact on agriculture, and harms environment with increased salinity, nutrient pollution, loss of flood plains and wetlands. Indian agriculture uses nearly 90% water, and shall soon be facing water shortage owing to fast depletion of ground water resources and poor irrigation systems.

With 140 mHa of cultivable land in India, 42% falls in drought prone areas. Out of the 90% water usage, roughly 20% is used owing to flawed and inappropriate water management system.

Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) for Agriculture when mixed with soil can hold up to 300 – 400 times water than its own weight, significantly improving water retention capacity of the soil, soil permeability, build quality, plant growth, easier flow of nutrients and minerals to the plant, while reducing water stress, water wastage, irrigation frequencies, money and labour. The fundamentals of hydrogel agriculture technology are based on insoluble gel forming polymers that can improve water retention property of different soils. Hydrogel functions as a water reservoir round in the vadose (root) zone of the plant perfectly blended with the soil harvesting water.

Hydrogel for agriculture is mainly based on cross linked polyacrylamide (PAM) and cross linked acrylamide-acrylate polymers as they can retain their activity for a longer period. The water retention capacity arises from the hydrophilic functional group of the chain while the cross linked network of the polymer contributes for the resistance to self-dilution.

Polyacrylamide Hydrogels are mainly of two types: Soluble (linear chain) and Insoluble (cross linked). Linear PAM is water soluble and has been doing well in lowering irrigation induced erosion in agricultural fields. Cross linked PAM does not dissolve in water and inflates to around 250 – 400 times its actual volume forming a gel when in contact with water. Thus acting as water storage for irrigation and rainwater.

The working principle of hydrogels is based on the charge – cationic, anionic or neutral. This charge distribution decides the mode of action with the soil or solute.

The clay particles present in soils are negatively charged, the heavy metals have positive charges and different minerals available in soils can hold a positive or a negative charge. Thus cationic hydrogels easily bind to clay and helps in flocculation, and anionic hydrogels are mainly used as a dispersant.

This water absorbing property of hydrogel increases manifold as the force of attraction between the gel and the soil particles becomes higher.

Significance of Hydrogel for Agriculture

• Increases water holding capacity of the soil
• Reduces irrigation frequency
• Limits water and nutrient loss from soil
• Enhances plant growth and performance
• Reduces surface erosion and water runoff
• Long term protection against drought and groundwater contamination
• Reduces NPK leaching when dry mixed with fertilizer preparations
• Delivery system for Mycorrhiza

Chemtex Speciality Limited manufactures and markets Hydrogel for Agriculture under the brand name of Alsta Hydrogel. With notable mentions on Wikipedia, to success stories on YouTube, Chemtex Speciality Limited is widely acknowledged for its service in modern agriculture.

For more information about Alsta Hydrogel, feel free to visit http://www.hydrogelagriculture.com or email at mailto:info@hydrogelagriculture.com

Combat the Pandemic Outbreak with Silver Hydrogen Peroxide: ALSTASAN SILVOX

Viral infections multiply rapidly, being over communicable, and having the ability to survive on inanimate objects for prolonged durations. These surfaces can be anything, outdoors in park benches, platforms, corridors, or indoors such as counter tops, kitchen surfaces, staircases, etc. Fomites or inanimate objects forming a secondary transmission route of communicable diseases necessitate the use of surface disinfectants for an effective disinfection program.

A substantial increase on the application of disinfectants has been witnessed for indoor spaces, reason being the sudden surge in the rate of virus infected people, mostly due to the transfer of microorganisms between surfaces and hosts.

Not all disinfectants work! It’s important to understand these attributes:

• Product efficacy against viruses
• Humans and environmental impact
• Immediate or plausible side effects

Hydrogen Peroxide is an eco-friendly sanitizer, we just made it better.

A disinfection program is only as effective as its implementation. It’s not possible to spray, mop every nook and corner of an object, or room. Takes time, effort and risk of cross-contamination with unclean mops and brushes.

Introducing, ALSTASAN SILVOX 150 MIST, 0.5% Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide (CDC recommended virucidal formulation) for atomized spraying on skin, fabrics, car, rooms, grocery bags, food packets, vegetable washing, etc. Application of ALSTASAN SILVOX 150 MIST ensures rapid disinfection of application areas within short contact time leaving mist and oxygen. It is proven effective for decontamination of soft surfaces when applied as a spray with no mechanical wiping.

ALSTASAN SILVOX 150 MIST finds its primary application areas in:

• Closed indoor spaces of residences, commercial and industrial establishments
• Human walk-through sanitizing tunnels
• Countertops to regular surfaces
• Regular Sanitation of operational vehicles
• Clothes, fabrics, sofas, upholstery, washed laundry
• Backpacks, grocery bags, washed utensils, woven sacks, cartons, shipping containers
• Office spaces, warehouses, godowns, hallways, storage areas

A weak solution of Hydrogen Peroxide has been used as a skin antiseptic for ages. Having a little amount of colloidal silver in it makes it an accelerated hydrogen peroxide, which is a stabilized molecule and is even recommended by CDC (Centre of Disease Control, USA) to be effective with a contact time of 1 minute. The challenge really lies with the stability of the product when diluted with water. As it quickly starts degrading when diluted. Hence it is advisable to use a ready solution of Silver Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide with Stabilizer – ALSTASAN SILVOX 150 MIST. It can be used in body sanitizing with atomized sprayer and human body tunnel. It is highly recommended to disinfect cutlery, glassware, un-cut vegetables and fruits with this product.

ALSTASAN SILVOX 150 MIST has following advantages compared to its contemporaries.

• Non-toxic by-products, viz. mist and oxygen
• The colloidal silver in it accelerates the stabilized hydrogen peroxide, making it effective over a broad range of viruses within a contact period of mere 60 seconds.
• Inhibits cross transmission of pathogens
• Exclusively formulated under CDC recommendations.
• Ready to Use formulation
• Low occupational hazards
• Odourless, Tasteless, Colourless, no-rinse, food grade product.

Click here to buy ALSTASAN SILVOX 150 MIST with doorstep delivery PAN India.

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Replacing Sodium Hypochlorite with Double Chain QAC based Disinfectant

Remember that pungent smell when mass disinfection of public places occurs. That same irritating smell you can relate to in swimming pools, and your eyes itch and redden, and your skin itches, and there is a big board saying “Chlorine in pool”, that’s hypochlorous acid, viz., when sodium hypochlorite breaks down.

Sodium hypochlorite/ Hypo (NaOCl) is inorganic chlorine based liquid disinfectant, available as aqueous solutions of 5.25% – 6.15% (household bleach) or concentrated 12% NaOCl solutions.

Large quantities are also used as a disinfectant in water and wastewater treatment and sanitary equipment. In food processing, sodium hypochlorite is used to sanitize food preparation equipment, in fruit and vegetable processing, mushroom production, hog, beef and poultry production, and fish processing.

Typical Uses of Hypo:

• 2%: Shock Chlorination of Wells
• 3 – 6%: Household Disinfectant, Laundering Clothes, Dentistry Root Canal Treatment, Dairy Industry, Disinfectant in Hospitals, Food Processing, Mushroom Production, Hog, Beef, and Poultry Productions, Maple Syrup Production, Fish Processing, etc.
• 12 – 16%: Disinfectant in Swimming Pools, Water Treatment, Waste Water Treatment, Pavement Spraying, Mass Disinfection.

 

So, where does Sodium Hypochlorite go wrong?

 

There are five types of Chlorine available in the market; Sodium hypochlorite, Lithium hypochlorite, Calcium hypochlorite, Dichlor, and Trichlor. The first three are unstable, unlike the stable last two.

Sodium hypochlorite with water breaks into hypochlorite ions that increase the overall pH of the system; we know pathogens that can survive alkaline atmosphere. Also, the high pH of hypochlorite will attack metals and generates hydrogen gas when in contact with aluminum, it even eats through connecting glue (fumed silica), threaded fittings, etc. Decomposition occurs faster at higher temperatures and concentrations and with metal contamination. General fiberglass tanks are used, at cooler temperatures to prevent hazards of hypo. If hypochlorite is exposed to acid or ammonia, chlorine gas will be released.

If the water hardness is exceedingly high, the high pH hypochlorite precipitates the calcium and magnesium, leading to scaling problem.

Mixing anything with hypochlorite can be extremely dangerous. Contact between hypochlorite and other chemicals such as alum, ferric, or sodium bisulphate, can cause an uncontrolled explosive release of energy, heat, and chlorine gas.

Hypo efficacy becomes limited when it comes in contact with more than 80% organic matter, neutralizing its oxidation effects. Hypo breaks down under sunlight, taking away the residual activity and the contact period.

Human Contact Hazards:

• Sodium Hypochlorite and ammonia mix, forms a dangerous gas potentially leading to choking and breathing difficulty.
• Avoid swallowing and getting sodium hypochlorite in the eyes or on the skin. Produces eye irritation, skin irritation and whitening, inhalation of fumes produce throat, esophageal, and gastric burns.
• Mutagenic and toxic when it comes in contact with ammonium salts, listed under Class 8 Corrosive Substances. Chronic (long-term) exposure to chlorine gas in workers has resulted in respiratory effects, including eye and throat irritation and airflow obstruction.
• Residual chlorine molecules react with this harmless organic material to form a group of chlorinated chemical compounds, THMs (Trihalomethanes): Dibromochloromethane (CHClBr₂), Bromoform (CHBr₃), Chloroform (CHCl₃), and Dichlorobromomethane (CHCl₂Br). They are tasteless and odourless, but harmful and potentially toxic.

Alstasan II 256: Our Safe Alternative

Alstasan II 256 is specifically formulated with double chain Quaternary Compounds which on application completely eradicates pathogens, inclusive of sporicidal bacteria and enveloped viruses such the coronavirus.

QACs are surface active agents which interlinks with the cell membrane of pathogens, altering its structure and its water-repelling attribute, because of which it is considered super effectual against lipid-enveloped viruses. The R group present in Quaternary Ammonium Compound’s structure with long double alkyl chains enables prompt neutralization of organic matter’s synthesis in the microbial cell, denaturing their essential cellular enzymes and proteins, and distorting it completely.

Application Areas: Spraying in Infected/ critical areas, high traffic public areas such as metro stations, movie theatres, malls, showrooms, offices, F&B preparation areas, pavements, floors, railway platforms, dip tray for shoes, air fumigating of closed indoor spaces.

Key Features:

• Highly effective virudical chemical with de-odourizer
• Non-tainting nature, safe for use on most MoC (Materials of Construction)
• Easy to dose and apply; dilute at recommended concentration and mopped
• Leaves a refreshing fragrance post usage
• Multiple applications of spraying, mopping, fumigation

Dominance of Alstasan II 256 over Sodium Hypochlorite:

Double chain QAC blends are highly effective especially over vegetative bacteria and enveloped viruses like SARS-CoV-2, inhibiting their spread and replication within seconds of application at lower use concentration (USEPA approved formulation)

• QAC’s are considered as good wetting agents and spreads over a wide area with acute piercing ability, at an application dosage 1/10^thof Hypo.
• Non-corrosive, non-tainting, compatible with materials
• Ensures prolonged sterilization and does not breakdown owing to sunlight and/or organic matter
• Leaves fresh minty fragrance, not irritating pungent smell.
• Non-mutagenic blend.

Chemtex Speciality Limited have introduced a new kit, named COVID-19 Bio-Security Package to look after the major cleaning and sanitation issues faced by In-house, Commercial, Health Care and Industrial sectors. To neutralize the adverse affects of harmful biological vulnerabilities, mostly microscopic viruses like SARS-CoV-2, Chemtex has brought an all round solution with right mixture of chemical science and technology, adhering to WHO guidelines and years of expertise.

Order your Bio-security Package kit right here

Sterilization in Hospitals

Global case studies say that about three-fifth of hospital admitted people get infected through communicable diseases, these are called nosocomial infections or HAI (Hospital Acquired Infections), and are avoidable.

Hospitals and other healthcare units are places known for their selfless service. But, these places are prone to some of the most infectious diseases with high chances of from human to human, or human to fomite to human contamination. Those involved personnel could be doctors, and staff, or patient. Hence, every step should be taken for their safety and precautionary measures should be opted for at regular intervals.

Sterilization is a process carried out to eliminate or neutralize all forms of microbial life such as bacteria, viruses, spores, etc. from a targeted area.  Any application can be considered germs free and can be used for contact purposes if tagged Sterilized.

Sterilization in hospitals is considered a regular and needful practice carried out in each and every critical and non-critical areas such as operation theaters (OT), wards, corridors, HVAC/ AC ventilations, toilets, patient facilities, ICU, ICCU, CCU, ITU, pathology labs, etc. These places are vulnerable to communicable harmful bacterial, viral strains affect humans, even life-threatening. The indoor atmosphere and its surfaces are the most that human beings come in direct contact with and become fomites.

Therefore, the first and the foremost thing to do is regular indoor air sanitation and surface disinfection through spraying, wiping or fumigation.Secondly, all equipment must be properly cleaned and disinfected as they directly come in contact. Similarly proper disinfection of wards and corridors should be implemented as maximum patients and their relatives wait in these places for their turn and treatment. The most sensitive areas viz., toilets,washrooms should not be ignored and needs to be regularly cleaned and disinfected.

Using enzymatic detergents and surfactants may give outer cleanliness but cannot ensure proper sanitation, leading to massive spread of infectious microorganisms. What is needed is proper disinfecting chemical which on application, through sterilization will ensure maximum sanitation and optimum disinfection.

Option? Chemical Sterilization. Why? Feasible, Cost Effective, Broad Spectrum Efficacy, Saves Time and Labor, over all types of microbes. Chemicals like Hydrogen Peroxide, Alcohol, and Quaternary Ammonium Compounds can be used as highly effective disinfectants owing to their dedicated chemical attributes.

Alcohol with a low boiling point, disrupts cellular structure of microorganisms on contact basis, and dries up.

QACs or Quaternary Ammonium Compounds have long alkyl chains, broadly effective over pathogens.

Hydrogen Peroxide, rapid oxidizing agent, ruptures cell membrane and nuclei of microbial cells, and breaks down into water and oxygen. FDA has approved 7.5% hydrogen peroxide as hospital disinfectant.

And these disinfectant chemicals do not possess residual toxicity, not develop antibiotic resistance.

Chemtex Speciality Limited manufactures wide range of broad spectrum disinfectants based on alcohol, QACs,hydrogen peroxide aided with cleaner tailor made for hospitals and pharma, effectively eliminating almost all types of pathogens be it bacteria, fungi or virus.

Know more: http://www.chemtexltd.com

Waste Water Sanitation – Chemtex Speciality Limited

Improving Water, Safe Guarding Life

Issues related to wastewater management has been surfacing over digital and print media, social sites irrespective of facts that all of us have knowledge on what and why. The only question is when to step up? With about 80% of diseases humans need to deal with are water-borne. Hospitals and healthcare units deal with more than 80 percent water borne disease cases. Such level of extremism forces people to buy clean water with higher prices.

All these water bodies need to be free of regular contaminants, making them suitable for further utilization, especially drinking. Pathogens, organic and inorganic matter, suspended solids, dissolved gases, paint emulsions, toxic chemicals like pesticides, bio-solids, and many more unwanted substances interfere with the quality and need treatment to make it reusable.

With over 130 Crore population, and three fifth of water volume deemed toxic with zero usability, India is on the edge of facing the worst consequences of water scarcity, reason owing to its varied topography which is otherwise considered as one of its main strength. States like Rajasthan, Punjab, and Gujarat are already feeling the impact and running Government campaigns to raise awareness among their people but is finding it difficult to cut through. The ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’ launched by Government of India primarily focuses on these strands viz., Rainwater Conservation and Harvesting, Waste Water Treatment and re-use, Installment of Watersheds, Planting Trees and Drinking Water Sanitation.

Water Sanitation deals with the processes that dwindles the contaminants present in the water before its disposal in the outer environment only after proper inspection of source their geographical conditions. Various physicochemical processes have been implemented off late, which handles water coming out of industries starting with removal of suspended matters to disinfection through RO membrane systems. The process may range from simple sedimentation and decantation to use of UV technology, depending upon the concentration of contaminants. The treated waste water can be used for agriculture, soil conditioning, energy generation, etc.

Wastewater treatment has not been taken seriously for a long time, reason being the dubiety behind its infrastructure and installment but it’s high time that we rethink about this and take necessary measures to ease it down as the potential risk factor is increasing at a staggering rate. The problems and complications associated with fresh water availability is projected to hit up drastically by the end of this decade, affecting every socio-economic factor to face the consequences.

Some of the techniques that can be carried out to prevent contamination of water are:

• Use of new technologies to treat waste water
• Controlling the discharge of industrial wastes into nearby water sources.
• Preventing contamination of crops with extensive chemicals as their run-off generally outpours into water sources
• Industries, commercial buildings, toilets should not be built near drinking water sources
• Managing water and crops to prevent expansion of vector borne diseases

Chemtex Speciality Limited deals with chemical treatment of water, accepted by leading treatment plants, enhancing waste water process and clarification operations across the world. Application of our treatment chemicals helps in effective removal of harmful micro-organisms, detergents and toxins, nullifying their hazardous effects, reducing foul odor and separating those sediments from the water.

For more information, visit www.water-chemicals.com

Wash those fomite infected hands!

What are fomites? 

Inanimate objects that form a secondary route of exposure for person-to-person transmissions. Any object that we may come in contact with can serve as fomites, doorknobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, phones, cab doors, keyboards, toys, even clothing.

Respiratory droplets are propelled into the air by sneezing and coughing. The aerosol generated by coughing and sneezing contain droplets of moisture of varying sizes laden with pathogens. The largest droplets are more likely to fall to the floor. Medium sized ones are more likely to enter the nasal passages of someone nearby, causing infection. The moisture in the smallest particles tends to evaporate rapidly, resulting in the formation of so-called droplet nuclei, which are light and can remain airborne for longer periods. These can travel from room to room or through ventilation ducts; owing to their small size and weight, their movement is mostly dictated by air currents, and, if inhaled, they can flow with inhaled air far down the respiratory tract, reaching the alveoli. Respiratory droplets can also contaminate inanimate objects (fomites) via coughing or sneezing or by transform from hands contaminated with a sneeze or cough. Ergo, one can become infected by touching a person or inanimate object that is contaminated and then rubbing one’s eyes or allowing the infectious particles to enter the nose or mouth.

Needless to say, hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infections.

There is no rule per-se when to wash your hands, however WHO recommends the following instances with priority:

• After coughing and sneezing
• Tending the sick
• Before, during and after food preparation
• After toilet use
• Hands visibly dirty
• After handling animals/ animal waste

 

Alcohol based Hand Sanitizer – Why?

Alcohol rapidly inhibits the infectious activities of microbial agents present on the skin surfaces as soon as it comes in contact with them. The alcohol directly attacks the cell wall of the micro-organisms, ruptures it completely before charging into membrane wall and nuclei. Since alcohol’s boiling point is low, the heat generated due to rubbing off hands evaporates particles, taking germs with them. Independent of water and towel, it provides a reliable prolonged antimicrobial effect. Not only does it give great feel but also enhances skin hydration.

 

“As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve, comparisons have been drawn to influenza. Firstly, COVID-19 and influenza viruses have a similar disease presentation. That is, they both cause respiratory disease, which presents as a wide range of illness from asymptomatic or mild through to severe disease and death. Secondly, both viruses are transmitted by contact, droplets and fomites. As a result, the same public health measures, such as hand hygiene and good respiratory etiquette (coughing into your elbow or into a tissue and immediately disposing of the tissue), are important actions all can take to prevent infection.”, World Health Organization

Wastewater Treatment – Domestic, Commercial & Industrial

Mandatory treatment of wastewater is the need of this hour to get rid of harmful pollutants excreted by domestic, commercial, agricultural or industrial applications.

Wastewater Treatment rendering otherwise unsuitable water for domestic, industrial or commercial utilization. The sources which can be anything from mildly polluted storm water run-off to toxic wastewater from chemical, pharmaceutical, and industries. Pathogens, organic and inorganic matter, suspended particulate matter, dissolved gases, paint emulsions, toxic chemicals like pesticides, bio-solids, and many more unwanted substances interfere with the quality and need treatment to make it reusable.

Domestic wastewater contains large suspended wastes like rags, single-use plastics, smaller colloids like papers, peels and other minute pollutants resulting from human wastes, laundry wash offs, kitchen applications. Commercial wastewater constitutes pollutants from commercial properties like offices, hospitals, hotels, etc., that end up back in the environment springing harmful effects on the same. Industrial waste includes toxic chemicals, organic effluents, heavy metals, harmful microorganisms, foul odor which when discharged in nearby water sources like small canals, ponds, river streams, alters its original chemistry. The gruesome fact is these are the only water sources for many other domestic and potable applications. The treatment technologies that are followed considerably depends upon a series of steps tin order to reduce the waste toxicity and concentration.

Simple ways by which contamination of water can be prevented:

• Advanced technologies to prevent microbial induced contamination
• Properly treated water be allowed to flow from industries into water sources.
• Prevent farm run-offs with chemicals and pathogens into water sources
• Drinking water sources should not be used for any other potable applications
• Exercise Chemical treatment of industrial and commercial water

Preliminary treatment involves the removal of unwanted, suspended or dissolved solids from sewage. This treatment primarily involves the use of polyelectrolytes which traps strong objects and sediments to evacuate suspended solids. Following up with this treatment is the removal of dissolved organic matter that may have missed out by any chance on the prelim phase. Final treatment cleans as well as disinfects relatively considerable number of polluting elements from sewage, producing effluent of water through routine chemical treatment. This chemical treatment involves the use of biocides, disinfectants, deodorizers, decoloring agents, coagulants, flocculants and others.

• In domestic and commercial applications, wastewater is routed through pipelines to nearby drainage facilities that connect water bodies. What can be done is, the wastewater be transported to a sewage treatment plant before making its way to outer environment.
• Industries can afford their own waste water treatment plant where the wastewater may be treated with proper chemicals using technologically advanced resources before its exposure. This treated water can be used for innumerable applications including its reuse in the same industry, saving water.  All that is required is proper knowledge and execution.

Chemtex Speciality Limited is one of the leading manufacturers of Wastewater Treatment Chemicals based on cationic, anionic and non-ionic polyelectrolytes, organic and inorganic polymers, formulated with extensive operational and scientific research that meets all the standard industrial and commercial needs and requirements.

Visit us at http://www.water-chemicals.com