Zinc ions are known to exhibit a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. This property drew an interest of Unisil Group Company Limited to incorporate zinc ion in livestock feed as an alternative to antibiotics. The company reached out to NANOTEC-NSTDA and received a transfer of technology to produce zinc ion as an antimicrobial agent.
The technology developed by NANOTEC, in collaboration with BIOTEC, involved the use of chelating and stabilizing additives to boost antimicrobial activity of zinc ion. This potent zinc ion offers an effective solution to diseases such as African swine fever virus (ASFV) and porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) threatening Thailand’s 74.6 billion THB swine industry.
Realizing the application of zinc ion can extend beyond animal feed, Unisil Group started to explore its use in disinfectant products. The company successfully developed Benzion, a disinfectant that is effective against pathogenic bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19. Benzion has been tested by reliable institutions such as BluTest Laboratories.