Cleaners for Cage Washers

Question:
What Alconox brand cleaners are best for use in cage washers?

Answer:
Alconox, Inc recommends a two step process that requires a first step alkaline cleaning using Solujet Low Foaming Phosphate Free Liquid, followed by an acid second step using Citrajet Low foaming Liquid Acid Cleaner/Rinse. The Solujet is used first to remove organic debris, feces and body fluids whereas the acid second step is used to remove urine scale and neutralize the cages. In some cases, Citrajet alone may be sufficient if the main concern is urine scale. In other cases, Solujet alone may be fine if the main concern is feces. This choice depends somewhat on the types of cages and animals being housed.

To read more about Solujet and Citrajet, visit Alconox.com.

Reduce BOD

Question:
Are there methods for reducing the BOD for wastewater effluent of DI + Alconox by removing organic compounds, i.e. surfactants?

Answer:
The surfactants are the major source of BOD in Alconox. A reverse osmosis membrane can remove the organic surfactants in Alconox. It is also possible to break down the surfactants using UV/oxidation with ozone or peroxide. The broken down surfactants will have reduced BOD. Also, adding an activated carbon filtration system after the oxidation step will further reduce the BOD level. It would also be possible to reduce the BOD using an activated carbon filtration system alone. It this case, a partition between water and activated carbon is created that favors the water, which means an oversized carbon filtration system, must be used to significantly reduce the surfactant content.

To view a technical bulletin for Alconox, visit download this PDF.

Assistance Selecting a Detergent

Question:
Does Alconox provide support to assist customers in selecting a detergent?

Answer:
Yes, ask the critical cleaning experts! We can assist you in detergent selection, answer general cleaning questions, arrange for a sample, and help with medical device and pharmaceutical cleaning validation for Alconox brand cleaners. Call us at 914.948.4040 or e-mail us at cleaning@alconox.com.

Visit our website www.alconox.com.

Low Foaming Detergent to clean silicon wafers

Question:
Does Alconox have a detergent to clean silicon wafers in a horizontal washer?

Answer:
Alconox, Inc. manufactures a very high purity product, Detergent 8, that is used in certain wafer cleaning and wafer tool cleaning processes. It is low foaming liquid that is typically used at 1-2% concentrations.

To learn more about Detergent 8, please download this informational PDF.

Cleaning Medical Devices

Question:
Are Alconox brand cleaners used widely in the medical device industry?

Answer:
Yes. Alconox brands are widely used in the medical device industry. Liquinox and Citranox are used to remove oils, grease, and mold release agents from recently machined medical devices. Whereas Tergazyme, an enzyme containing cleaner, is used to clean bodily fluids and blood off reusable medical devices after examinations and surgeries.

Whether cleaning manually, ultrasonically, or with automated cleaning systems, Alconox brand cleaners are formulated to remove residue and leave no interfering resides behind.

For more information on cleaning medical devices, visit our medical device section.

Detergent Selection

Question:
What are the questions to consider when selecting a detergent?

Answer:
Today's aqueous critical-cleaning detergents are blended for specific applications-substrate, degree of soil load, and cleaning process-these, are all important considerations when selecting a detergent. Here are a few questions to ask about a detergent brand to ensure that it meets your specific cleaning needs:

1. Does it have good detergency on the types of soils that you need to remove?
2. Is it free-rinsing? Will it rinse away without leaving interfering detergent residue?
3. Is the detergent recommended for the desired cleaning method?
4. How hazardous is it?
5. Can it be disposed of easily?
6. Is it environmentally friendly?
7. How economical is it?

To read more about selecting a detergent, request a copy of The Aqueous Cleaning Handbook, 4th Ed. by clicking here.

Biofouling Removal from Ultrafilters

Question:
What is the cleaning procedure for removing biofouling from ultrafilters?

Answer:
Biofouling is rapid microbial growth inside the ultrafiltration system that clogs the pores of the filters. When an in-house waste treatment plant equipped with ultrafiltration unit experiences excessive biofouling of filters resulting in frequent cleaning, this could lead to the system being out of service. In order to restore the filters to their normal length of service, we recommend using 1% Tergazyme enzyme cleaning solution at 120 deg F temperature. Temperature can be maintained by an immersion heater in the sump during a three hour clean-in-place program. Specifically a clean in place program of 20 minutes circulate, 20 minutes stop and soak, 20 minutes circulate followed by a thorough rinse will effectively remove the biofouling, restoring the filters to their normal length of service.

View the technical bulletin for Tergazyme by downloading our PDF.