Bellicide and Clearkill

Part of the challenge with fuel management is knowing when to recognize the kinds of problems that dictate action.

Those who manage fuel know by now that today’s fuels are more susceptible to microbial contaminations than in the past. Once you know that you have a microbe problem in your fuel system, the question is what are your options to get rid of it?

Fuel professionals know several things - managing and removing water is important for controlling microbial growth. More important, though, is using the right biocide to kill the microbial contamination.

Bellicide & ClearKill - Top Biocide Choices For Solving Microbial Contamination Problems

Looking for the right biocide chemistry means looking for an antimicrobial chemistry that checks the following:

Important: Broad Spectrum Killing Power

The best biocide chemistries are the ones effective at killing the broadest range (“broad spectrum”) of the types of microbes most commonly found in the environments you’re dealing with - like fuel storage tanks, for example.

Some well-known biocide chemistries are effective vs. bacteria but less so against molds and yeast contaminants.

Bellicide and ClearKill biocide formulations are both highly effective against the common strains of both bacteria and molds/fungi that most commonly cause contamination problems in fuel storage and distribution systems.

Important: Long Lasting

One fair question to ask is, if you treat a contamination situation with a biocide, how long will it last for? Or even, will you ever have to treat again or are biocides more like “one and done” treatments?

Biocide chemistries are constantly working to kill microbes wherever they are. THey get “used up” as they kill the microbes they come in contact with. As such, biocide treatments don’t last forever.

Ideally, you would like the biocide you use to 1) kill all of the problem microbes and 2) maintain that complete kill for as long as possible. But how long is a reasonable expectation?

Based on laboratory kill studies, the most effective biocide chemistries can maintain complete kills for four weeks or more. Some well-known but less effective biocides can see microbial populations (bacteria, molds/fungi, or both) start to rise again after as little as one week.

So you want your biocide to last as long as possible.

As for “will you ever have to treat again”, that really depends on the environment you’re in. But the general rule still applies - the best biocides maintain their microbial kills for as long as possible.

Bellicide and ClearKill biocide formulations are not only highly effective at achieving complete microbial kills, they also maintain their complete kills against both bacteria and molds/fungi for up to four weeks or more in laboratory kill studies. And this means they are likely to maintain those complete kills longer in real world fuel storage situations, like your system.

Important: Works well in all pH situations

There are many problem-causing microbes in fuel systems that are “acid-producing” microbes. As such, when their microbial contamination levels become severe, they may create acidic fuel environments with pH readings skewing into the acidic range (< 7.0).

Not only are these acids linked to corrosion damage in fuel storage system, they can create problems for some biocide chemistries used to eradicate those microbes.

Not all biocide chemistries work equally well in acidic environments. Indeed common popular biocides are less effective in acidic environments. This is bad news if you’re trying to use one of them to resolve a severe contamination problem where acid-producing microbes are involved.

Bellicide and ClearKill biocide formulations are both highly effective at killing acid-producing microbes. Additionally, their overall effectiveness isn’t compromised by acidic environments. So you can count on their effectiveness no matter what.

Important: Stays intact in water

It’s well known that water presence is strongly associated with microbial problems. Indeed, where a microbe problem has developed, it’s very common to find a free water phase underneath the fuel phase, with microbes growing and multiplying in both phases and throughout their interface.

In order to be effective, a biocide should kill microbes in both the fuel phase and the water phase. A biocide chemistry should be able to kill microbes in the fuel, move (partition) across the fuel-water interface (killing microbes as it goes), and then remain intact in the water phase while it continues killing microbes there.

The ‘remain intact’ part is important, because there are some popular biocide chemistries that see their biocidal molecules (the part of their formulation credited with actually killing the microbes) undergo a reaction when in contact with microbes, causing them to break apart into individual components. This is not an ideal situation.

Bellicide and ClearKill biocide formulations satisfy all four of these related considerations

• They kill microbes in the fuel phase.
• They move (partition) well across the fuel-water interface, killing the microbes there.
• Once in the water phase, they continue killing microbes there.
• Their biocide molecules remain intact even in water.

Important: Must Be EPA-Registered

This one seems too obvious to have to call out, and yet, you might be surprised at the state of the biocide market in this respect. All biocides sold must be legally registered with the EPA. This is to ensure they won’t cause harm to the fuel or to the environment, as well as making sure they are safe to use. Remember, biocides are formulated to kill living cells (microbes). So there’s a necessary added layer of safety we want to have built in, especially when we go to use them.

If a biocide has been properly registered, it will have two registration numbers clearly displayed on its label (this means they’re not hidden in tiny font, either). One of them (the Registration Number) identifies the biocide chemistry, and the second one (the Establishment Number) identifies where it was packaged.

We can’t stress this point enough. In order to be LEGAL to be sold in the United States, a biocide must have these registration numbers. That’s an easy way to tell if a product you’ve got is a properly registered biocide, if you can find those registration numbers on its label.

And yet there are many products out there that make claims to convince people they are biocide (“Kills microbes”, “Prevents microbial growth”, “Eliminates microbial contamination”) that aren’t registered as biocides. Not only is it illegal to do that, but it means it’s very unlikely they actually do any of that.

Bellicide and ClearKill biocide formulations are both EPA-registered biocides that are approved for use in this way.

In addition, the ClearKill formulation has been approved and in use in Europe for a number of decades, where it’s been trusted by groups large and small - from Mercedes Benz AG to Shell Netherlands and DAF Netherlands to the German Armed Forces - to be an effective and approved biocide for eliminating microbial contamination in stored fuels.

What Else? Additional Considerations For Selecting Biocides In Low-Turn Fuel

There are thousands of fuel storage tanks across the country holding low-turn fuel that is only used up over multiple years time. “Low turn” fuel is stored fuel that’s used up slowly, such that it’s likely to stick around long enough to undergo multiple fuel treatment applications over the course of its stored life (i.e. before it’s withdrawn from the tank and used). This is in contrast to “High Turn” fuel used in situations If you have a microbial contamination situation in your low turn fuel, there are some additional considerations to keep in mind when selecting a biocide solution for these situations.

Low Sulfur Contribution For Low-Turn Fuels

Some biocide chemistries contain sulfur as important parts of their active ingredients. As such, they may marginally raise the sulfur content of sulfur-sensitive fuels like ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD) - how much exactly depends on the amount used. Yet, if the fuel is low-turn, this extra sulfur contribution may need to be taken into account if the fuel sticks around long enough to receive multiple biocide treatments.

For low-turn fuels, using a biocide that not only works well, but also contributes little to no extra sulfur may end up being preferable.

Bellicide (thiocyanate): contributes 4.8 ppm sulfur at its 200 ppm shock dose.

ClearKill (MBT): contributes ZERO sulfur at its 200 ppm shock dose.

Anti-Corrosion Protection Is A Plus

Many biocides piggyback an “anti-corrosion protection” claim onto their formulation. The rationale is because microbial growth is linked to corrosion damage in storage tanks (such as through the phenomenon of MIC), killing the microbes and preventing their re-growth to problematic levels will have a positive effect on preventing corrosion damage. And to an extent, this is a sound rationale.

But if you can do more, you may want to.

ClearKill’s MBT biocide chemistry is the only major biocide chemistry that also provides dedicated anti-corrosion protection through a filming amine effect on tank surfaces. ClearKill lays out a “layer of protection” on these surfaces that protects them from the corrosive effects of microbial byproducts.

This means ClearKill gives you a double-shot of protection against corrosion that other biocide chemistries cannot offer.

A Variety of Options For Your Needs

Both Bellicide and ClearKill are available in a variety of sizes to knck out your microbial contamination problems.

Bellicide is available in 16-oz and 1-gallon bottles for small to medium tanks. And for larger jobs, 55-gallon drums and 250-gallon totes.

ClearKill is available in 16-oz and 32-oz bottles, along with 51-gallon drums and 250-gallon totes.

Bellicide & ClearKill - Leading Solutions To Solve Your Microbial Contamination Problems

Bellicide thiocyanate and ClearKill MBT biocide chemistries are proven biocide solutions that solve the microbial contamination problems in your stored fuel. A Bell Performance representative can help you determine which one is truly the best choice for your stored fuel.