Activated OXINE AH smell or raw Oxine AH smell

[wonderment]

Hello,

I bought Oxine AH bottles from a dealer. I just have a general question. I have been using Oxine AH with the activator crystal to mist my birds area to disinfect any potential virus or bacteria.

However I wanted to know if the batch I have is not a spoiled batch. Because, when I activate Oxine, or the raw solution from the bottle, has a bit of an algae smell to it. Is this the natural smell of Oxine? It turns greenish yellow after adding the crystals/citric acid as per the instruction, and the diluted water looks greenish after mixing with the activated solution. But, that smell of algae turns my stomach. I thought Oxine would smell like bleach or chlorine or swimming pool but why algae or a fish tank? Please tell me if this is normal because if it is indeed a spoiled batch I wanna be sure my birds area is clear of viruses or other pathogens and I have been trusting oxine will take care of it assuming it is natural smell. If it is not, then I should have to find a solution as I cannot take any chances.


Additional info/contribution : I saw a lot of posts on BYC where people talked about how they don't bother activating Oxine and simply dilute it as per instructions and spray it thinking it will kill viruses or bacteria such as Paromaxyvirus or salmonella or extreme ones like newcastle etc but the truth is, non activated oxine does not even kill molds. It inhibits maybe but it is NOT a solution to disinfect anything. You MUST activate them if your goal is to keep the coop clear of pathogens. It is just a placebo otherwise. I would not be able take that chance. I have confirmed it from the dealer, but regarding my question above, the dealer is out of town and I have no way of contacting them until the mid of Jan. Please let me know.

 

[speckledhen]

The dealer is misinformed, seems to me. You should never activate Oxine to mist your birds in the face. That's dangerous. You only use the activated solution as a heavy cleaner for an empty coop, never for them to breathe. I know for a fact it will kill fungus as a non-activated solution because I used it in a vaporizer to cure a fungal infection in several birds one summer. It is definitely not a placebo! I can't believe the dealer told you that.

I've never seen Oxine turn color or smell as anything other than mildly bleachy. But, I never activated it, either.

From Shagbark Bantams, a breeder who uses Oxine:

Oxine can also be ‘activated’ using citric acid crystals, which ‘release’ more of the available chlorine in the solution, but I highly discourage this method of use within the fancy. If you were to activate the product, it is recommended that you wear a NIOSH approved respirator and you would not be able to fog the solution into any area where the birds are present. Without activation, I am very comfortable with using the product without a respirator or mask, although you should follow whatever precautions you are most comfortable with.

Instructions from Revival Animal Health for using Activated Oxine:

https://www.revivalanimal.com/pet-health/how-to-use-oxine-ah/learning-center

The first part says remove all animals:

How to Use Oxine® (AH)
Applications for Activated Oxine® (AH)
Disinfecting kennels and confinements where animals can be removed:
Oxine® AH Activated formula is commonly used to disinfect commercial animal confinements such as poultry houses, swine pens, calf barns and kennels. When activated, the powerful chemistry of the chlorine dioxide and citric acid quickly acts to kill bacteria, fungi and viruses including E. coli, salmonella and Parvovirus. It even has been shown to have high sporicidal activity.

1. Remove all animals and feed from the premises, vehicles, enclosures or crates.
   
2. Remove all litter and manure from floors, walls, and surfaces of barn, pens, stalls, chutes and other facilities and fixtures occupied or traversed by animals.
   
3. Empty all troughs, racks and all other feeding and watering appliances.......

And for NON-activated Oxine, the instructions, which would not even be there if it was worthless.

Feed Troughs and Storage Bins:
Effective cleaning of feed bins and containers is highly encouraged. The reason for this is because of the fungal growths commonly associated with these areas. Some strains of the fungus Aspergillus flavus produce aflatoxin, which is known to be carcinogenic. Allowing livestock to consume a carcinogen can have dramatic consequences. Feeds are usually manufactured and sold with a quality of being free from these toxins, but improper management of feed storage areas allows for the development of fungal growths that can spread from one supply to the next. Over time these growths can begin to produce byproducts that are detrimental to proper weight gains. OXINE can be used to help break the cycle of fungal growths associated with feed areas.

To control the buildup of slime forming bacteria in animal confinement areas:

1. Remove all litter and manure from floors, walls, and surfaces of barn, pens, stalls, chutes and other facilities and fixtures occupied or traversed by animals. Thoroughly clean all surfaces with soap or detergent and rinse with water.
2. Prepare the active solution by placing 6.5 fl. oz. of Oxine® AH concentrate per gallon of working solution into a clean plastic pail. Add one gallon of potable water for every 6.5 fl. oz. of Oxine® AH concentrate.
3. To apply, use a commercial sprayer or fogger and saturate all areas. Always use a NIOSH/MSHA approved respirator to avoid breathing the mist.

Waterers and Tanks:
Oxine® AH is effectively used in waters that are open to the atmosphere and exposed to contamination. There are considerable economic, esthetic and health reasons for keeping these waters in a sanitary condition. With little attention to these reservoirs, significant levels of microorganisms can develop. Slime and odor-causing microorganisms cannot just survive, but can flourish in these waters. These microorganisms can develop a resistance to even significant levels of chlorination and form protective biofilm layers within the system. In an International Food Technology summary report from over two years of biofilm research, the active ingredient of Oxine® AH, chlorine dioxide, was listed as one of the most effective compounds for the destruction of biofilms. Our experience conforms completely with their findings. Oxine is highly effective in removing biofilms and microorganisms from these systems.

To control buildup of slime and odor-causing bacteria in feed waterers:

1. Feed water should be treated at a rate of 1 fl. oz. of Oxine® AH concentrate per 30 gallons of water and may be injected or batch loaded. Feed pumps and injectors must be chlorine resistant for best operation.
2. Feed water storage tanks should be sufficiently sealed to prevent outside contamination and direct sunlight.

To disinfect drinking water supply for poultry, swine, cattle and other livestock:
Use Bio-Cide International, Inc. automated activation equipment to generate an aqueous chlorine dioxide solution. Alternatively, Oxine® may be manually activated to generate an aqueous chlorine dioxide solution. The activated Oxine® solution can be either batch loaded or metered into the poultry and drinking water supply at a point in the system which ensures uniform mixing and distribution of up to 5 ppm chlorine dioxide.

• Automated Activation Equipment Method: Bio-Cide International, Inc., automated activation equipment may be used to generate an aqueous chlorine dioxide solution for metering into the water supply to treat at 3 to 5 ppm activated Oxine® concentration.
  
• Manual Activation Method: Activated Oxine® concentrate may be prepared by manual mixing and subsequent dilution for treatment of the water supply at 3 to 5 ppm according to the activation and dilution charts. For example, to manually prepare Activated Oxine® to treat 1,000 gallons of water at 3 ppm activated Oxine®:
  1. Preparation of active solution: Place 20 fl. oz. of Oxine® AH concentrate into a plastic container and add 60 grams of citric acid. Prepare in a well-ventilated area. Avoid breathing any fumes while crystals are dissolving. Gently stir until citric acid crystals are completely dissolved. Allow five minutes reaction time.
  2. The activated concentrate may then be added to 1,000 gallons of water. Allow ten minutes before delivery to livestock water lines.

Odor Control
One of the most interesting characteristics about Oxine® AH is the ability to reduce odors. This is primarily due to the chemical action of chlorine dioxide with sulfur and nitrogen atoms. Bad smelling odors, called malodors, are typically associated with a molecule that contains a sulfur or nitrogen atom. A vivid example of this fact is in the smell associated with skunks. This compound has a sulfur and hydrogen atom (SH), which allows it to fit into certain olfactory receptors in the nose. When this happens, the odor of a skunk is experienced. Oxine® AH chemically reacts with these types of molecules by oxidizing the sulfur atom and therefore changing the molecular structure. The molecule no longer stimulates the same olfactory receptors in the way it once did, and hence the odor is eliminated. Many malodors associated with agricultural production areas are associated with molecules easily oxidized and thus eliminated by Oxine® AH.
Technical Specs

• EPA registration as a disinfectant for animal confinement facilities such as poultry house, swine pens, calf barns and kennels.
• EPA registration as a bacteriostat in animal confinement facilities where "all-in, all-out" cannot be practiced.

Application Information

• Oxine® AH may be used on floors, walls and ceilings as well as handling and restraining equipment, forks, shovels and scrapers used for removing litter and manure.
• Fogging or spraying equipment may be conveniently located in confinement facilities and used to apply Oxine® AH for control and elimination of airborne microbial contaminants.
• When using activated Oxine® AH solutions, the facility should be depopulated.
• Oxine® AH may also be used as a bacteriostat (non-activated) for control of surface and airborne microbial contamination. While the use of more product may be necessary, depopulation is not required in this method of application.

Frequently Asked Questions About Oxine

1. Is Oxine® AH Activated formula a registered product that is approved to use in my family?
   
   Oxine® AH is an EPA registered product and has twenty-three pages of approvals for use in industries such as animal health, food processing, medical facilities and airlines. Oxine® AH also has approvals from FDA as well as USDA, and BCI continues to add new approvals periodically.
   
   
2. If Oxine® AH is so good, then why am I just now hearing about it?
   
   Bio-Cide International, Inc. has been manufacturing Oxine® AH for over twenty-six years. The primary use of Oxine® AH has been in food processing. In order to achieve the registrations and approvals required to provide Oxine® AH, BCI has spent the past several years pursuing the testing results to maintain registrations on its products. Now that much of that is complete, new markets once neglected are being looked at again.
   
   
3. What about the safety aspects of Oxine® AH? Should I be afraid of it?
   
   On the label, there is a single word statement that is required of all registered anti-microbial products. In order to determine which word must be listed, EPA considers the toxicity and safety of the product and places it into a category. There are four categories, and the safest is that of number four. Category one requires a "Dangerous," while category two requires "Warning." Categories three and four only need the "Caution" statement. Oxine® AH is considered a category three product and is only required to use the "Caution" on its label.
   
   
4. Is Oxine® AH effective against the PRRS virus?
   
   Oxine® AH activated formula has shown to be 100 percent virucidal against the PRRS virus in a recent test conducted at a USDA facility in Iowa. Other viruses tested are African Swine Fever, Newcastle Disease, Foot and Mouth Disease and Canine Parvovirus. While no complete list of efficacy can be performed by any company, Oxine® AH has always produced superior kills.

Proper Use of Oxine®
Oxine® AH is applied using one of three methods: hose-end sprayer, air mister or proportional pumping. The typical use and activation for each application method are outlined as follows:

Hose-End Sprayer
Fill sprayer with Oxine® AH, add 2.0 ounce of citric acid (1 tablespoon) per 16 fluid ounces of Oxine® AH, and allow to set for five minutes. A yellow color should develop as an indicator that the product is being activated for use. Set adjustment on sprayer to deliver 1.0 fluid ounce of Oxine® AH per gallon of water (1:128) for control of bacteria, mold and fungi. Use a setting of 3.0 fluid ounce of Oxine® AH per gallon of water (1:42) for control of virus and spores.

Air Misters
In order to apply Oxine® AH around pipes and other difficult areas to disinfect, an air mister is an excellent tool. Also, better air quality can be obtained in confined areas by using periodic applications to the air. A concentration of 3.0 fluid ounce of Oxine® AH and two tablespoons of citric acid mixed and allowed to stand for five minutes can be diluted with one gallon of water and used in the mister. Another way to fill the mister is to use the hose-end-sprayer at a setting of 3.0 fluid ounces per gallon as mentioned above. This solution is then misted into the air. Compatible misters are available from Bio-Cide International, Inc.

Proportional Pumps
Some applications of Oxine® AH can be made using a pump to dose treat volumes of water. If this is the case for your facility it is recommended that a BCI representative be contacted to assist with the calculation and set-up. However, understanding that a typical 1:128 ratio is equivalent to 1.0 fluid ounce per gallon and a 1:42 ratio is equivalent to 3.0 fluid ounces per gallon will be very useful in setting up a proportional pump unit.

Other Applicators
High pressure spraying units are often used to apply chemicals in rooms previously cleaned. This method is adequate for Oxine® AH as long as the high pressure adjustment on the end of the wand is changed to a low pressure setting. A high pressure setting will cause the active ingredient of Oxine® AH to be displayed at the nozzle outlet and very little if any activity will be observed on the surface being disinfected.


If you need help, call us at 800.786.4751.

-The Revival Education Team

 

[wonderment]

No of course I will remove the birds, of course. No one should be using that around live birds. But the fact is, Oxine AH without activation does not kill any viruses. For example, lets say you have a pigeon coop, and if one of the bird is infected with PPMV or newcastle disease and you found out about it. By using non activated oxine to clean the birds cage, it does nothing. The activated Oxine basically kills viruses by prevention of protein formation because Oxine (sodium chlorite forms Chlorine dioxide when activated, which is very soluble in water) Chlorine Di Oxide is the one that kills viruses. When non activated there is no chlorine di oxide. It does not interrupt anything on the internal survival of the virus or bacteria. It inhibts them sure, but it does not kill them. In your case, since it slowed down the spread of the pathogens, bird's internal immunity probably helped.

Some people posted that they spray non activated oxine diltued solution on their shoes to be safe, but sadly it does nothing at all.

 

[wonderment]

Please check this out. https://www.facebook.com/wilsonsexhibitionpoultry/posts/1186080918155708

The dealer is misinformed, seems to me. You should never activate Oxine to mist your birds in the face. That's dangerous. You only use the activated solution as a heavy cleaner for an empty coop, never for them to breathe. I know for a fact it will kill fungus as a non-activated solution because I used it in a vaporizer to cure a fungal infection in several birds one summer. It is definitely not a placebo! I can't believe the dealer told you that.

I've never seen Oxine turn color or smell as anything other than mildly bleachy. But, I never activated it, either.

From Shagbark Bantams, a breeder who uses Oxine:


Instructions from Revival Animal Health for using Activated Oxine:

https://www.revivalanimal.com/pet-health/how-to-use-oxine-ah/learning-center

The first part says remove all animals:




And for NON-activated Oxine, the instructions, which would not even be there if it was worthless.

 

[Ravynscroft]

You should ALWAYS be wearing a respirator when you activate Oxine... the fumes are caustic and should never be breathed in...

 

[speckledhen]

I have no idea who Wilson Exhibition Poultry is so I have no clue if the person knows what he/she is talking about. The company that makes Oxine, Bio-Cide says you must use a respirator to spray activated solution, so why would you spray it in your chickens faces if you can't even breathe it?

I know it will kill fungus in a non activated state. It's not a theory, it does. I used it upon recommendation of other breeders and it cured two small groups of birds who all had fungal lung infections. We misted non-activated oxine in short 10 minute sessions twice a day for three days. All recovered fully.

 

[wonderment]

I have no idea who Wilson Exhibition Poultry is so I have no clue if the person knows what he/she is talking about. The company that makes Oxine, Bio-Cide says you must use a respirator to spray activated solution, so why would you spray it in your chickens faces if you can't even breathe it?

I know it will kill fungus in a non activated state. It's not a theory, it does. I used it upon recommendation of other breeders and it cured two small groups of birds who all had fungal lung infections. We misted non-activated oxine in short 10 minute sessions twice a day for three days. All recovered fully.

I don't understand where you saw that I spray in chickens faces, I dont even have chickens, let alone any face. My question was, when you open the bottle of oxine and give it a smell, even prior activation, it has the smell of a fish tank or algae. When I activate it, I will activate it in a very oudoor area, and move far away from it. And then, immediately mix it with gallon of water (recommended) when I smell this diluted gallon of water, you need masks during the mixing as it produces fumes, not after wards after you diluted it. Maybe you are confusing my post with someone else or you assumed I spray the activated oxine on live birds and their faces. I also found another post by a horse girl on BYC where she tells this exact information that she got from biocide themselves, but I don't know why it was ignored.


http://www.nucalgon.com/assets/prodlit/3-944.pdf

 

[wonderment]

Here is the other thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/oxine-activated-vs-non-activated.738215/

 

[speckledhen]

I don't understand where you saw that I spray in chickens faces, I dont even have chickens, let alone any face. My question was, when you open the bottle of oxine and give it a smell, even prior activation, it has the smell of a fish tank or algae. When I activate it, I will activate it in a very oudoor area, and move far away from it. And then, immediately mix it with gallon of water (recommended) when I smell this diluted gallon of water, you need masks during the mixing as it produces fumes, not after wards after you diluted it. Maybe you are confusing my post with someone else or you assumed I spray the activated oxine on live birds and their faces. I also found another post by a horse girl on BYC where she tells this exact information that she got from biocide themselves, but I don't know why it was ignored.

...

My mistake, not sure why I read that, or overlayed it on what you said, sorry for the confusion. I guess this being a chicken forum, I just went there.

When I spoke to Biocide years ago, they seemed a little weirded out that we were using it for chickens at all, said it was not intended for that use. I'll go check the thread link.

 

[speckledhen]

From the other thread you linked, to clarify for others using it for chickens (I can't believe I didn't catch the fish part, sorry again, wish I knew how to solve your problem or help you with the issue you're having).

However, if you feel it necessary to KILL virus, bacteria, fungus, etc. (such as a known and serious outbreak) then you would need to follow directions properly to use Oxine in an ACTIVATED form. THIS MEANS REMOVING YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE BEGINNING IT'S USE AND WEARING A RESPIRATOR MASK with PROPER VENTILATION. READ and FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS IN FULL!!

I have used the activated and diluted solution in a spray bottle on my horses frogs (underside of feet) with great success and have sprayed my brooder cages with the activated solution after moving the now grown chicks to the coop. I have also used the Non-activated solution to fog my juveniles a couple of times a day when a few began to cough. Within a few days, they were all better. Once you mix a solution up (activated or not) it loses potency in time, so this is not something you can make up and use a week later. I mix it up and use immediately for best results.