The Future of Innovation in Biocides?

At Intelligent Formulation we have carried out a roadmapping and foresighting exercise which covers all of the markets which use formulation technology. In consultation with formulating companies, universities and other organisations we looked at the main global trends and drivers, at what challenges formulators are being asked to undertake, what new tools are or could be available for the formulator and what understanding has been or should be generated.

This exercise helped us identify a number of general challenges for formulation technology, in particular:

• Formulation has to be used to improve product performance: ingredients are needed which have “smart” or multiple effects in a formulation; formulations need to be able to deliver an active accurately to a particular site; and formulations are needed which provide novel functionality. Additionally we need to be able to control and manipulate ever more complex multi-component formulations to give the desired effect. There is also a role for novel and cost-effective manufacturing methods to give improved product performance.


• As interest grows in sustainable sources, a second challenge is to be able to substitute ingredients in a formulation with those from natural origins. This challenges formulators to maintain or improve the cost-performance ratio of the formulated product whilst working with unfamiliar and poorly characterised ingredients.


• Formulation is a great way to introduce new products quickly and cost-effectively, as new effects or improved cost or environmental profiles can be achieved without the need for new molecular entities. But formulations are “complex beasts”. Can we use our understanding of formulated products to do things even better?


• In almost every industry where chemicals are used, regulations are a huge driving force. Whether the product is a biocide, an agrochemical, a medicine or a cosmetic, restrictions are growing on how products can be used and what ingredients can be included.

During 2010 we used our general formulation roadmapping exercise to look in more detail at one specific market, namely that for formulated biocides. Looking first at trends and drivers:

Societal trends and drivers have an impact for biocides formulation:

• Increased awareness of sustainability leads to a greater use of natural origins and as a consequence the potential for microbial contamination of products increases. Additionally formulators sourcing raw materials need to be aware of changing consumer demand e.g. for Fairtrade in personal care.


• A greater societal awareness of water and air quality has led for less environmentally persistent and more biodegradable industrial and consumer products, biocides included.


• Society appears to be coming more risk averse and fear driven, over and above legislative demands. This presents biocide formulators with conflicting demands. On the one hand there is an aversion to chemical biocides (“they must be nasty because they kill things”) but on the other hand we are increasingly aware of biosecurity and threats to human and animal health (“I want something that kills things”).


• On the other hand changing population demographics opens up opportunities. An ageing population increase the demand for better infection control and healthcare systems. In the developing world a growing middle class increases the demand for enhanced cosmetic and personal care solutions.

Technology also influences and drives the market for formulated biocides:

• The demand for fast, lean and flexible manufacture leads industrial users to seek “one size fits all” biocides, and products with easier, less hazardous handling will be sought.


• The potential for improved product development methodology may allow the formulator to get more out of existing biocidal actives and additives.


• The possibility of product and packaging recycling and re-use also presents challenges and opportunities for the formulator.

Economic drivers are also significant:

• “Me too” is no longer good enough in a very competitive marketplace. Are biocide formulators making enough of innovation as a differentiator? Can we think of new ways of making and using biocides? Can we use formulation to develop new products, applications or services?


• Production is becoming increasingly globalised. Biocidal active and formulation ingredients are becoming commoditised, but we still want to differentiate our products. Additionally, global product ranges are becoming increasingly common, with one production site serving all markets.

Environmental trends and drivers are increasingly important:

• Increasingly the carbon (and water) footprint of products (from raw materials through production and on to end use and disposal) is under scrutiny. Formulators are in a unique central position where they can influence this – with one eye on raw materials and production and the other on the end use and application


• Sustainability encompasses the whole product life cycle. Increasing attention is being paid to the consequences (e.g. resistance) of inadequate and unsuitable biocide regimes. Furthermore, there is an increasing look at waste. Active ingredients are expensive: are we formulating in a way to get the most out of our actives?

Finally we looked at political drivers:

• In the biocides world we can’t get away from legislation and regulation. Whether it is the EU Biocidal Products Regulation, the US EPA regulations, the EU Cosmetics Directive or the Medical Devices Directive, costs are only going to increase and choice of ingredients will reduce.

Next we looked at the possible conclusions and consequences of these drivers for the world of biocide formulation:

• One straightforward conclusion is that the active ingredient is no longer king. This is not only true for biocides (where regulatory drivers have reduced choice and increased the barrier for new actives) but is also being played out in other markets such as pharma and agrochemicals.


• Looking at how biocides are currently formulated leads us to a second conclusion – there is a huge potential for improvement. Currently biocides formulations are centred on the efficacy spectrum of one or more active ingredients. We are all familiar with alleged synergy claims between actives; these are usually often nothing more than one biocidal active filling the efficacy gap left by the other. Formulating additives are simply added to give basic physical compatibility with the final product or matrix. There is nothing particularly smart about these formulations


• The end result of standard formulations is that active ingredients often go to waste – they are not targeted to the organisms and sites that matter and are degraded along the way. Apart from the potential of underuse leading to tolerance or resistance, the cost-performance ratio has big scope for improvement.


• But every problem leads to an opportunity. In a smart formulation the formulation itself is focused on being an effective delivery vehicle for the end application. This means that the formulation targets the active to the right place at the right time using, for instance, encapsulation or triggered release systems. In smart formulations, there is real synergy between ingredients, actives are produced in-situ when you want them and at the right time. All this has the potential to reduce unnecessary human or environmental exposure to active ingredients and to improve cost-performance of the product.


• There are real opportunities for biocide formulators to learn from other industries. Smart formulation is being used right now in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and personal care applications. Furthermore, formulators can use knowledge from within the supply chain, whether it’s from providers of the actives and additives or from the end users. Biocides formulation has the reputation of being a bit secretive. Perhaps it’s time for a change?

So our conclusion leads us to a pretty simple set of final messages to biocides formulators. If you want to generate value in the biocides industry, don’t just concentrate on the active; use smart formulation to get more value out of your product. Be prepared to collaborate on ideas with partners in your own supply chain and be prepared to collaborate with and learn from other formulating industries. Usually they are not your competitors, so commercial success through partnership and knowledge exchange is a real possibility.

At Intelligent Formulation we are dedicated to helping companies like Syntopix become more successful by innovating in formulation. Have a look at our website, blog, LinkedIn group or Twitter feed to see how we are doing just that.

Intelligent Formulation are currently supporting a Syntopix research project through the '30 day formulation challenge' scheme.