Bioremediation bacterial products, probiotics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and hormones

We supply a range of probiotics, bioremediation products and spawning hormones applicable to animal husbandry, general sanitizing (bacteria, fungi and viruses) and aquaculture (& horticulture, aquaponics, hydroponics).

• Ecotao is a regional agent for
  • Alken Murray’s integrated creative solutions to a wide range of pollution problems, using bioremediation, demulsifiers, fuel additives, polymers more through harnessing nature to clean the environment with safe and natural bacteria.
  • Syndel Laboratories Ltd., a privately held Canadian company that has developed and marketed high quality aquaculture chemicals and pharmaceutical products.
  • We also supply some commonly used chemicals that are generally difficult to source.
    • Chloramine (Halamid)
    • Virkon
    • Trichlorfon
    • Povidone iodine
    • Clove oil (eugenol)
    • Potassium permanganate (KMnO4)
      

Industry use for various products

Food processing

All food processing chemicals used for sanitation and sterilization should be approved. The South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) is the only
national body responsible for carrying out accreditations in respect of conformity assessment, as mandated through the Accreditation for Conformity Assessment, Calibration and Good Laboratory Practice Act (Act 19 of 2006). For medical standard products, SAHPRA is an entity of the National Department of Health, created by the South African Government to ensure that the health and well-being of human and animal health is at its core1. Licence to manufacture, import or export, or act as a wholesaler to wholesale and or distribute medicines are issued in accordance with the requirements of Section 22C read with Regulation 23 and 24 of the Medicines and Related Substances Act, 1965
(Act 101 of 1965).

Aquaculture

All aquaculture operations will have a demand for drugs, biologics, and other chemicals, collectively referred to as “regulated products”. This may include: 1)  disinfectants as part of biosecurity protocols, 2) herbicides and pesticides used in pond maintenance, 3) spawning aids, 4) vaccines used in disease prevention, or 5)marking agents used in resource management. Despite the best efforts of fish culturists to avoid pathogen introductions, therapeutic drugs are also occasionally needed to control mortality, infestations, or infections.

General sterilization

Povidone iodine x 5 liters (agricultural)

• Antiseptic agent, effective against a wide variety of fungi, viruses and bacteria
• Applications: topical (wounds, burns, ulcers), gynecological, dental and oral use, veterinary medicine, aquaculture
• Povidone iodine and medical-grade 37% formaldehyde are approved for egg disinfection by the FDA for use in aquaculture
• Other names: Ovadine, PVP Iodine

Chloramine T (Hamalid)

• Chloramine T is used in many different applications against virus, bacteria and fungi. See the summary document on Chloramine T.

Algae culture

We supply the vitamins, trace minerals and bulk chemicals needed for algae culture. The Guillard’s F/2 and L1 formulas are available as separate chemicals for commercial mass production or as ready to use packs.

Vitamins can be purchased separately as needed (B1(Thiamine or thiamin), B12 (cobalamin and Cyanocobalamin), biotin (vitamin H or coenzyme R).

Trace metals for algae culture:

Additional options

Hormones

See the separate page for our hormone products.

Water and pollution treatment chemicals

We are the distributor for Alken Murray probiotic products. In aquaculture and pond applications these products can compete with and reduce pathogenic bacteria such as vibrios.

In the 1980s Alken-Murray Corporation changed the economic feasibility of bacterial treatment by offering highly concentrated, non-pathogenic, and cost-effective Alken Clear-Flo® formulas to degrade excess nutrients, chemical pollutants, and ammonia.

Sludge reduction

Alken Clear-Flo® 1000 and 1002 include basic spore forming, waste degrading strains of Bacillus to reduce organic loadings in the water column, preventing a buildup of sludge on the pond bottom. When Alken Clear-Flo® formulas are used, the nutrients dropping to the pond bottom are so reduced that the anaerobic sludge dwelling Desulfovibrio desulfuricans bacteria is unable to form toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.

Biofilter activation

Ammonia is of major concern in recirculating and static aquarium systems. Nitrification must be accelerated if ammonia levels are dangerous. Biofilters and recirculation systems should be seeded with an established population of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter, primary autotrophic bacteria found in freshwater, brackish water, soil and seawater. These two strains, present in commercial formulas such as Alken Clear-Flo® 1100 and 7110, have been found to be the most reliable for rapid oxidation of ammonia to nitrate. The seeding process can also be enhanced by providing additional substrates on which the bacteria can attach themselves. Nitrifying bacteria have a preference for smooth black objects.

• Nitrosomonas oxidizes ammonia to nitrite
• Nitrobacter oxidizes nitrite to nitrate

Nitrosomonas or Arthrobacter agilis converts high ammonia concentrations to nitrites. Nitrobacter is inhibited by ammonia, therefore efficient oxidation cannot occur until high ammonia concentrations have been converted to nitrites by Nitrosomonas.

Microorganisms in Alken Clear-Flo® 1100 perform within a pH range of 6.8 to 8.5. Optimal pH is 8.2 to 8.3. Warmer temperatures of above 60° F also enhance nitrification.

Formulas such as Alken Clear-Flo® 1100, 1200, and 1400 contain Nitrosomonas europaea, which degrades ammonia to nitrite and Nitrobacter winogradskyi which degrades nitrite to nitrate in the aerobic environment of the water column, and to nitrogen gas in the anaerobic environment of the bottom sludge or gravel.

Detergents, grease, pesticides, pollutants

Alken Clear-Flo® 1005, 1006, 1007 and 1200 contain bacteria that are pre-conditioned to prefer toxic pollutants, such as phenol, detergents, grease, and pesticides, in addition to the same basic bacteria that are found in CF 1000 and 1002.

Quarantine facilities

Properly managed aquarium and aquaculture operations maintain new stock in a quarantine tank, apart from established stock, while the health of the new stock is assessed and any diseases or parasites are treated. Alken Clear-Flo® 1400 can rapidly restore a healthy biomass of waste degrading and nitrifying bacteria after antibiotic and antiparasitic treatments. By improving water quality in the quarantine tank, the stress experienced by these new fish is reduced, making them less susceptible to disease. Alken Clear-Flo® 1400 can also assist in the transport of live fish and eggs by reducing stress caused by rising ammonia and pollution levels.

De-emulsified oil to reduce polluting wastes

The application of ALKEN® 860 reduces the amount of emulsified, oily sludge which must be trucked out, landfilled, or disposed of in other ways (all of which are costly).

Petroleum hydrocarbon degrader

ALKEN CLEAR-FLO® 7036 is a concentrated broad spectrum hydrocarbon degrader containing four spore forming Bacillus strains and sixteen gram-negative strains. This is the primary choice for soil remediation applications of coal tar, crude oil and mixtures of light and heavy oil fractions. This formula, which also successfully degrades alcohols, ketones, and phthalates, is usually sold under private label to environmental firms for soil remediation. For wastewater applications, it is wise to bench test this formula and our Alken Clear-Flo 7008 to see which will work best for the specific plant.

Spilled petroleum products

ALKEN CLEAR-FLO® 5100 offers an effective and safe synergy of the surface cleaning power of ALKEN SURFACE CLEANER 874 biodegradable surfactants, powerful petroleum degrading bacterial endo-spores and additional Bacillus strains to digest secondary metabolites, including long-chain fatty acids. ALKEN CLEAR-FLO® 5100 biodegradable surfactants effectively remove surface and embedded stains from spilled petroleum products on concrete and asphalt garage or shop floors, driveways, loading docks, fuelling areas, parking lots and oil storage areas, and then inoculates the contaminants with 8 strains of Bacillus bacterial cells, along with nutrients, micro-nutrients and germination catalysts, from ALKEN 896, necessary for complete biodegradation. This formula can also be used for power washing contaminated soil, gravel, sand or rocks and for cleaning heavy machinery.

Control of fats oils and grease in soak pits, drains and septic tank systems

ALKEN CLEAR-FLO 4000 line is designed for septic tank systems. Bacteria break down grease, soap, and other organic matter in the drain, enabling the bacteria to fully digest these elements. The coating of waste in the pipes thins as a side effect of bacterial feeding, thus opening the pipes.

Industrial & Municipal Wastewater Treatment Bioremediation, Composting

ALKEN CLEAR-FLO 7000 line is designed for applications such as:

• Control Hydrogen Sulphide
• Fix Lagoon Aeration Problems
• Control Ammonia & Nitrite
• Control Swine Manure Odour
• Control Foaming from Nocardia & filamentous strains
• Anaerobic Digester Aid  
• Bioremediation of Oil Spills & Drilling Muds 
• Accelerate Composting

Odour control in animal and other facilities

Control Odour with Alken Enz-Odor®, Treat-A-Loo & Nu-Bind. Suited to applications such as

• Dumpsters
• Landfills
• Loading Docks
• Collection Systems
• Wet Wells
• Septic Systems
• Wetlands
• Kennels
• Catteries
• Skunks
• Zoos

Fish anaesthetics

Clove oil is used as a fish anaesthetic.