HALAMID® IN SHRIMP FARMING

In any area of intensive farming, whether it is cattle, pigs, poultry, fish or shrimps, a good total hygiene plan is of major importance. Both good cleaning and disinfection are a necessity to prevent disease problems.

Halamid® has already for a number of decades proven its reliability as a disinfectant in the farming of cattle, pigs and poultry.

In the last decade Halamid® is used more and more as the disinfectant in the farming of trout, salmon, sea-bass, sea-bream, turbot, etc. because of some of its unique properties, like its Universal and Safe nature. Its use in ponds with fish, no build up of resistance and its biodegradability. Also for the farming of shrimps, Halamid® offers the same unique properties. In all stages, whether hatchery, nursery or on the grow-out farm, it takes care that pathogenic microorganisms do not get a chance.

HALAMID®, A UNIQUE DISINFECTANT

Halamid® is a universal disinfectant killing bacteria (Gram + as well as Gram -), viruses (naked as well as enveloped) and fungi. Halamid is a safe, dependable, low toxic and readily biodegradable disinfectant for combating the microbial contaminants in your production farm. Its unique mode of action guarantees no build up of resistance.

Strict Hygienic procedures

Hygiene is the weapon to prevent the carry-over of microorganisms. Proper cleaning and disinfection are amongst these measures. Disinfection is one of the most important measures for blocking microbial dispersal. This dispersal (spreading, carry-over) of microbial contaminations across the shrimp farm, or from one shrimp farm to the other can be caused by live material (shrimps, eggs, broodstock, artemia, etc.) transferred from one tank/pond to the other within the shrimp farm or from outside. Visitors (boots !) and trucks entering the shrimp farm terrain can bring in microbial contaminations as well. Last but not least, the absence of procedures incl. disinfection of tools/equipment used, make the employees the most important cause of microbial carry-over.

Wherever disinfection comes in, the disinfectant of choice should be bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal. Only few disinfectants will comply; Halamid® is among the exceptional chemicals that are fully dependable.

Halamid® is a white crystalline powder that is well soluble in water (up to 10% at 15°C) and is stable at room temperature.

Its shelf-life is outstanding if properly stored: away from heat and moisture and in duly closed packaging.

A Halamid® solution can be rinsed, sprayed or nebulized without any difficulty.

Halamid®'s stability makes it possible to store a stock solution of e.g. 5% for well over six months without any loss of activity.

Halamid®'s stability and broad activity range make it a reliable disinfectant that fulfills the expectations.

Halamid® is the registered trade mark for sodium N-chloro-paratoluenesulfonamide trihydrate. This product is also known under the name Chloramine-T.

Molecular formula: C₇H₇CINNaO₂S3^,H₂0

MICROBIOCIDAL ACTIVITY

Halamid® is effective versus the whole range of micro-organisms, including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, fungi and viruses. Most disinfectants particularly, have no activity versus so-called naked viruses at all. Here again, Halamid® stands out as an ally in combating viral contaminations.

Halamid® is a unique disinfectant with a mode of action unlike any other disinfectant. Its mechanism is triggered in a watery solution by the presence of micro-organisms. Active groups are released in proportion to the demand and penetrate the cell walls of the micro-organisms concerned, leading to their inevitable destruction without the risk of a resistance-build-up. What matters is the right strength and the proper time of exposure.

International testing confirms above claim and establishes Halamid® as an all round and highly versatile disinfectant.

Some specific aquaculture related microorganisms to which Halamid® has proven to be effective are:

Bacteria

• Yersinia ruckerii
• Vibrio parahaemolyticus
• Vibrio alginolyticus
• Vibrio anquillarum
• Vibrio harveyi
• Vibrio salmonicida
• Aeromonas salmonicida
• Escherichia coli
• Salmonella typhimurium
• Bacillus subtilus spores

Viruses

• Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis virus

Fungi

• Aspergilus fumigatus
• Trichphyton equinum

Parasites

• Gyrodactilus salaris
• Epistylis
• Ichthyobodo

This means that one product can cover all possible microbial contaminations at the shrimp farm. The total range of activity of Halamid is much wider. Please consult our distributor or sales office, should you wish information about specific micro-organisms, not mentioned here.

 APPLICATIONS

In shrimp farming disinfection is split in two different applications:

Surface disinfection

Surface disinfection is carried out after thorough cleaning. In many countries there is a tradition to combine cleaning and disinfection. Halamid® can likewise be dissolved in a solution of a preferably neutral- detergent (pH between 6-8). It should be borne in mind that most of the times a one-step treatment is only partially successful. Best results are attained if "dirt" (interfering proteins and encapsulating fatty matter) is first removed so that the disinfectant is able to have an optimum contact with the micro-organisms still clinging to the surfaces thus treated.

Halamid® can be rinsed, brushed, mopped or sprayed. Spraying devices should use a pressure below 6-10 bar to produce coarse droplets. This avoids the risk of inhalation and promotes a proper distribution of the active solution. Non-porous surfaces require at least 150 mi of fluid per M2. Higher temperatures of the disinfecting solution are only useful if the materials to be treated are allowed to adopt these temperatures themselves (e.g. in laundering). Allow the treated surface to dry to the air.

Water disinfection

Water disinfection is done to bring or keep the microbial quality of the water to a certain desired level, by simply adding Halamid to the water in the required amount. This is the application where Halamid shows one of its unique properties: the simple applications and the broad range activity combined with the low toxicity of Halamid to fish and shrimps. This means Halamid can be used both for water pre-conditioning and water quality maintenance. This is the best prerequisite to grow strong and healthy animals in each stage, resulting in reduced mortalities and increased profits.

Disinfection Procedure

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Disinfection Procedures

The disinfection procedures mentioned in the Application paragraph are listed below:

1. Spray, flush or mop with a 20 g Halamid®/litre solution. After 30 minutes wash with clean water.
2. Add 5-15 g Halamid® per cubic meter water, depending on the water quality. Wait at least 24 hours before further treatment.
3. Dip in a 1 g Halamid® per litre solution for 15 minutes. Then wash with clean water.
4. Spray, flush or mop with a Halamid® solution of 3 g/1. If necessary wash with clean water after 30 minutes.
5. Wash for 15 minutes with a Halamid® solution of 1 g/1. Then wash with clean water.
6. Add Halamid® to a concentration of 15 to 50 g/m, (depending on the contamination present). Discharge after 24 hours.
7. Dip in a Halamid® solution of 0. 1 g/1. After 15 minutes wash with clean water.
8. Dosage and result strongly dependant on actual conditions. Assistance is available on request.
9. Add 3 gram Halamid® per cubic meter twice a week.

We are continuously building up experience in the field. Feel free to contact our distributor or sales office to obtain eventual customized advice on practical procedures.

HANDLING AND DOSING

To obtain the optimal surface disinfection results, the surfaces should be almost, but not completely dry at the moment the disinfection operation starts. If the surfaces are too wet instant dilution (lower activity) will occur. If the surfaces are completely dry you need more Halamid® solution than strictly required. Allow the treated surface to dry to the air. Disinfection is completed unseen. Unlike cleaning, its effect cannot be checked Visually. Therefore you need a methodical approach to ensure the best results.

Halamid® is always used in aqueous solutions which are prepared by dissolving the powder in water. Halamid® is a mild product without any immediate harmful effect on the human skin, the eyes or clothes, but it should not be inhaled or allowed to act on the skin for many hours at a stretch. A dust mask is recommended when a solution is prepared. In case of skin contact the skin section exposed must be washed with water and soap.

Halamid® itself does not produce foam, but it can very well be used in foaming devices for marking off the surfaces that have to be disinfected. For vertical surfaces using a foam containing Halamid® adds to the efficacy of the disinfectant solution.

(ECO)TOXICITY

Extensive toxicity testing shows that Halamid can be classified as a disinfectant with low acute toxicity. Its LD₅₀ in rats and mice is 1000 mg/kg. The 90-day-No-Effect-Level (NOEL) in rats is 15 mg/kg/day.

The unique mode of action of Halamid® (no chlorine or hypochlorous acid as intermediate) makes the question of formation of chlorinated organic compounds (AOX) irrelevant.

The toxicity of Halamid to the following species relevant to fish and shrimp farming has been established in tests:

48-hour NOEC

21 -day NOEC

1.1 mg/l

96-hour LC50

7.3 mg/l

72-hour EC5O

25 mg/l

Akzo Nobel, headquartered in the Netherlands, is one of the world's leading companies in selected areas of chemicals, coatings, healthcare products and fibers. More than 70,000 people in over 50 countries make up the Akzo Nobel workforce.

Akzo Nobel's activities are conducted by business units clustered in four groups: Chemicals, Coatings, Pharma and Fibers. The business units, which report directly to the Board of Management, possess sufficient autonomy to anticipate and respond promptly to changes in market conditions.

Geographically, Akzo Nobel's activities are largely concentrated in Europe and the United States. It is a Company objective to expand in other geographical areas, particularly in East and Southeast Asia.

MANAGING TOTAL QUALITY

Quality is a central concept. Managing Total Quality is the name for our process of continuous improvement. All Akzo Nobel sites have their ISO 9002 certificate. The certification of all sites according to the ISO standards is only one aspect of this process. The basis for our continuous improvement is meeting our customers' expectations. In this way all elements of the quality operation fit together.

The information presented herein is true and accurate to the best of our knowledge, but without any guarantee unless explicitly given. Since the conditions of use are beyond our control, we disclaim any liability, including for patent infringement, incurred in connection with the use of these products, data or suggestions.

February 1996, copyright Akzo Nobel