Glutex Product Portfolio

Editorial Fast Facts

GLUTEX™ brand products, which include GLUTEX™ Sanitizers and GLUTEX™ Antimicrobials, are based on the active ingredient glutaraldehyde. Glutaraldehyde is a common biocide frequently used against a variety of harmful microbes and pathogens. When used according to guidelines, glutaraldehyde is a safe and effective way to combat deadly animal viruses and help stop the spread of global biosecurity threats, such as Avian Influenza H5N1.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has specifically identified glutaraldehyde, detergents and quaternary ammonium products as effective disinfectants against the Avian Influenza virus. The WHO also indicates that the virus "remains viable for long periods in tissue, feces and water, but is highly susceptible to disinfection."

Below please find background information on glutaraldehyde for sanitation and disinfection of animal housing facilities.

Applications
Glutaraldehyde possesses certain biological and physical-chemical properties that make it an excellent biocide for use in a wide range of industrial and microbiocidal applications. In livestock housing disinfection, glutaraldehyde does not require long contact times and is effective on a wide range of surfaces:

Farm equipment Hatchers Setters Chick processing facilities Trays Racks Carts

Boxes Cages Vehicles Non-food contact surfaces Industrial equipment Buildings

Health and Safety
When handled properly, glutaraldehyde is an extremely safe and effective product that has no carcinogenic potential. But because of their innate characteristics and the qualities that make them effective, all biocides can be harmful to human health. To help customers avoid possible health hazards, Dow Biocides has developed extensive instructions on proper glutaraldehyde usage in the form of safety data sheets, technical data sheets, handling and guidance sheets and training materials. When health and safety guidelines are disregarded, however, high airborne levels of glutaraldehyde can cause allergic contact dermatitis and can lead to irritation of the eyes, nose and upper respiratory tract. It is important to monitor vapor exposure levels to assure healthy and safe work conditions, as well as compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Environment
Glutaraldehyde is readily biodegradable (OECD 301A and 306 guidelines) and is not classified as a cause of long-term damage to the aquatic environment. One of few biocides that meet the criteria to be called readily biodegradable, glutaraldehyde is very suitable for use in aqueous systems discharged to the environment via water treatment works. Although glutaraldehyde in high concentrations (25 percent active and above) can be moderately toxic to algae, its short life in the environment ensures minimal effects on aquatic life.

A non-oxidizing agent, glutaraldehyde does not corrode metal surfaces like oxidizing agents such as household bleach, making it safe to use on surfaces that can harbor pathogenic micro-organisms across the farm environment. Glutaraldehyde also remains active longer than typical oxidizing biocides.

Efficacy in Cold Temperatures
Temperature affects the efficacy of all biocides. At lower temperatures, however, surfaces wetted with glutaraldehyde solutions will remain wet for longer periods of time. This allows for longer contact times that compensate for the minor reduction in rates-of-kill. Winter temperatures do not compromise the use of glutaraldehyde-based products.

Glutaraldehyde and Formaldehyde
Although glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde are both aldehydes, their chemical and microbial properties are not the same and should not be confused. Glutaraldehyde is 10 to 15 times more efficient than formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde is much more stable than formaldehyde in acidic water. Glutaraldehyde does not contain formaldehyde, nor does it release formaldehyde, even after prolonged storage under adverse conditions.

Regulation
Glutaraldehyde-based products have been approved by many regulatory bodies around the world for use in animal housing sanitation (e.g. Ministries of Agriculture in China, Peru, Taiwan, Venezuela, and the US Environmental Protection Agency). The products tested have documented efficacy against a broad spectrum of microbes, pathogenic moulds and yeasts.

GLUTEX Products

Sanitizers GLUTEX Sanitizers are the four products formerly known as: UCARSAN 4128 (GLUTEX GS1) UCARSAN 420 (GLUTEX GS2) UCARSAN 414 (GLUTEX GQ1) UCARSAN 442 (GLUTEX GQ2)

Antimicrobials Dow Biocides is launching five new formulated products combining glutaraldehyde with the patented G-cide* complex GX+* from independent biotech company GX Laboratories: GLUTEX Waterless Hand Sanitizer GLUTEX Antibacterial Soap GLUTEX High Foam Spray Degreaser GLUTEX Low Foam Spray Degreaser GLUTEX Boot wash

GLUTEX sanitizers are the new brand name for UCARSAN™ sanitizers used in animal housing biosecurity.

The G-cide complex GX+ is a pH neutral stabilized glutaraldehyde solution which provides a disinfectant and biocide with impressive killing power, but minimizes many problems often associated with biocides such as skin irritation and sensitization.

Further information on Dow Biocides is available on the Internet at www.dow.com/biocides.
For additional editorial information, please contact Louise Falp, business communications manager, Dow Biocides on (847) 808-3771.

®™^* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow
* Trademark of GX Laboratories, Killarney, Ireland.