6 minute read
Aqualution
PROJECT DIRECTED BY Glen Newton
WRITTEN BY Romana Moares
Nick Meakin, CEO, Aqualution
Enhancing Health Protection
Aqualution, based in Duns in the Scottish Borders, is the global leader in the science, production and application of hypochlorous acid – a biocide used extensively to fight infection and cross contamination. Not only is the product completely safe, it is also environmentally friendly.
Aqualution Systems Ltd started its operations within a pharmaceutical company with a team of scientists researching the biocide molecule for pharmaceutical applications. They found a way to stabilise the biocide during the electrolysis process, producing the purest hypochlorous acid with a minimum 12-months shelf life enabling it to be bottled and sold commercially. They also filed the regulatory authorisations for biocide use in Europe and the UK. In 2009, this group of scientists moved away from the original company by means of a management buyout, which also meant moving away from solely pharmaceutical applications, explains Nick Meakin, Aqualution’s Chief Executive.
Aqualution
“That’s where it really started. Since then we have diversified into agriculture and later on into food safety. But the ethos remained the same – our team are the leaders in the science, production and application of hypochlorous acid, manufacturing for global brands as well as our branded products.”
Today, the company’s products are used in many sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, food and drink processing, pet care and pharmaceuticals. They have been used by a major retailer for several years to disinfect fresh produce prior to packing. Care homes throughout the UK use them as both a surface disinfectant and fogging solution whilst Aqualution’s products have also been recommended for use throughout the UK in dental surgeries and are a leading the way in animal first aid applications.
Safe, quick, effective
Nick himself is a qualified chemist who has worked with Aqualution technology since 2002. In his past career, he has worked in the automotive, food, airline and aquaculture industries in senior management and main board roles, and brings that experience to understanding how the company’s products can best be applied to new sectors.
So, what is hypochlorous acid exactly? According to the company’s explanation, hypochlorous acid is one of the most effective known biocides. This weak acid is the same as a chemical produced by the mammalian immune system to kill invasive organisms and fight infection. Hypochlorous acid is a gentle but powerful biocide, and its production in a stable form represented a monumental step forward in healthcare and hygiene.
“Our hypochlorous acid spray, products and solutions provide complete infection control and a reduction in cross-contamination effectively,” says Nick Meakin. “With our ground-breaking technology, we’re the only company to manufacture packaged hypochlorous acid which remains stable once
Aqualution have diversified into the agricultural sphere
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Aqualution
the bottle is opened. Therefore, we have quickly become the leading hypochlorous acid supplier in the UK, Europe and across the world.”
Aqualution’s biocides have been tested in independent UK laboratories and leading academic and commercial research facilities, and the company is fully compliant with the rigorous European Biocide Regulations (EU 528/2012), owning the approved active substance dossiers.
It is not too surprising that Aqualution has been much in demand over the past two years in the health sector where the biocide meets the demands of environmental cleaning in the most demanding healthcare environments.
For the past 12 months, the company has been working with one NHS Trust to implement its technique to replace their environmental decontamination process. “Our technique was chosen for two reasons: first, it is much safer than the one they were previously using, and second, decontamination is achieved much faster, in 15 minutes as opposed to the usual 3 to 4 hours.”
“So, in terms of availability of operating theatres and high dependency areas, this makes a major difference. To summarise, our products are more effective, safer and nearly always faster than the current decontamination techniques.”
The safest fresh produce
Nick points out that professional infection control still represents the biggest product application, although food safety has been rapidly catching up. “Food is our best market, because everything we do is bespoke – our solutions are heavily integrated into the packing plants at the processing factories and are set to remain part of the operation on a long-term basis.”
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Hypochlorous acid for food disinfection and processing is marketed as Agripure. Aqualution’s on-site, on-demand technology can be applied in bespoke ways to suit any produce and significantly improve efficiency and reduce costs while doing no damage to the environment.
Customer base includes Marks and Spencer that have been using Aqualution’s solutions for their un-cooked food such as soft fruits and salads, as well as for flowers, all the way down the supply chain.
Nick explains that as fruits, such as raspberries, are picked on small farms, and may be touched by literally thousands of hands, it is in practice impossible to ensure good hand hygiene. “We came up with a new application technology which has been validated at Camden BRI, the primary food research organization in Europe.” “From a commercial point of view, that’s one of our highly successful applications. Every now and then we are contacted by a new company that wishes to get into the M&S supply chain. For their products to be allowed on the shelves, they are required to use an M&S approved technology which ours is.”
Realising the potential
In addition to pathogen control, Aqualution products offer other benefits as well. Since hypochlorous acid does not generate harmful disinfection by-products, the wash water can be recycled, enabling a reduction in water usage of up to 80%. This also significantly reduces electricity usage, creating significant cost and labour savings, as well as improved environmental impact.
“That is something you can’t do with just about any other chemical that is currently commercially used in this area. In a typical installation, we’ll be saving nearly half a million litres of water a week. In areas like Africa, or central South America, this is a major achievement, and the impact of using our product on the processors’ global environmental footprint and as well as on their cost savings is significant.”
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Aqualution
Agripure hypochlorous acid technology for washing and disinfection of fruits, salads and vegetables is now being used around the world. For its solution, the company won the VIBES Hydro Nation Water Innovation Award in 2018 and were in the top 10 for the Best of VIBES in 2019.
Speaking of the future, Nick reflects that given current market developments, Aqualution will be busy in the coming months and years. Production capacity was already scaled up during the pandemic, and further expansion is planned.
“We have designed a new factory on a greenfield site, a significant project that is now waiting to be implemented once the global market situation settles down. The factory will be built on our site at the Scottish borders, south-facing, and as such is designed to be completely energy self-sufficient, green and zero-carbon. Potentially, in summer we may even be selling electricity to other companies on the estate.”
From the business point of view, the company is again looking at medical device marketing authorisation, the process of which was stopped by the global pandemic. “We already have two medical device marketing authorizations, so we are coming back to where we started – to realising the pharmaceutical potential for our products.”
www.aqualution.co.uk
