July 19, 2002—A report released recently by BBJ Environmental Technologies, Inc. highlights the importance of cleaning HVAC/R systems to prevent the buildup of organic material on the cooling coils and other moist areas of these systems.
If a small concentration of bacteria manages to reach this area, they can feed on the organic material (food source) and amplify to a greater concentration.
According to BBJ, preventing microbial growth as opposed to destroying already established microbial growth is important for several reasons:
- The destruction of already established microbial growth requires powerful formulations that are often highly toxic and may pose a greater risk than the organisms they are attempting to destroy. Prevention of microbial growth can be accomplished using mild formulations that pose little if any risk.
- Once a colony of growing organisms is established and identified, occupants of the space are already at risk. A prevention strategy assures that occupants will never be at risk.
- Even after a growing colony is destroyer, it remains present in the form of cellular debris.
Mold (more accurately ‘fungi’ of which mold is only one example) can use almost anything as food. They thrive on a wide variety of surfaces so it is difficult if not impossible to totally control microbiological growth by depriving them of food, says BBJ.
One strategy is to chemically alter or protect surfaces so they are less friendly to microbial growth. There are products such a BBJ MicroBiocide that will provide such protection. In addition, new research indicates that the total level of organisms present is more important than what organisms are present. This supports the position we have taken all along and demonstrates the importance of a ‘broad spectrum’ antimicrobial product such a BBJ MicroBiocide.
BBJ’s growth prevention strategy centers around mild cleaners that remove organic material that can serve as a food source for eventual microbial growth, cleaning techniques utilized on a periodic basis coupled with use of low toxicity antimicrobial products that are applied to surfaces to make them unfriendly to microbial growth. For more information, contact BBJ Environmental Solutions.
