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Heavy Metals | Technical Metals | |
Key Ingredients | Specially selected microbes. Naturally occurring. Non-genetically modified |
Silver (silver ions) Copper Zinc |
Man-made chemicals |
Goal | To reduce/eliminate the root cause of odor: sweat and other organic materials | To hinder the growth of odor-causing bacteria. | |
Mode of Action | Uses microbes that generate enzymes to mitigate odor by converting sweat and other organic materials to odorless CO2 and H2O. | Releases positively charged ions which destroy the enzymes necessary for bacterial metabolism and reproduction. The process is indiscriminate i.e. destroys bacteria that are detrimental to human health and those that are beneficial. |
Penetrates the cell wall of the microorganism and disrupts the cell, making the microorganism unable to grow and reproduce. The process is indiscriminate i.e. destroys bacteria that are detrimental to human health and those that are beneficial. |
Application | Completed textiles are treated. | Can be extruded directly into fibers or completed textiles can be treated | Completed textiles are treated. |
Registrations / Regulations | Not a pesticide and does not require any registrations world-wide. | Antimicrobials are considered pesticides and must be registered with governing bodies such as EPA, REACH, and Health Canada. | |
Risks | Microbes used are non-genetically modified and are naturally occurring in lakes, streams, and dirt. Microbes are all Biological Safety Level 1 which is the level used for eg. enzymes contained in yogurt. Non-toxic. |
Metals are toxic to humans. Must be used at approved low levels. | Chemicals are toxic to humans. Must be used at approved levels. |
Biofunction | Zero toxic discharge. No environmental impact. |
Toxic to fish and accumulations are occurring in sewage treatment plants. | Toxic to fish. |