The growing usage of biocidal products in water treatment processes is a major factor responsible for its surging demand across the globe. In water treatment plants, the biocidal products are not only used for disinfecting water but also for eliminating pathogens from the various disinfectant devices and equipment used for the storage and transportation of water. This is because of the ability of these biocidal compounds to act as disinfectants and anti-fouling agents that would curtail the growth of various harmful organisms such as bacteria, protozoans, and viruses.
Besides being used as disinfectants, the biocidal products are also required in the water treatment facilities for maintaining the microbiological quality of the water both before and during the entire distribution process. This is achieved by killing the disease-causing microbes and keeping the growth of the microorganisms in the water at a certain acceptable level. In addition to being extensively used in water treatment plants, biocidal products are also widely used as preservatives, sterilants, and disinfectants in consumer products. These compounds play a major role in preventing or eliminating microbial growth in various consumer products.
The increasing global population and the rising disposable income of people in several countries are massively pushing up the sales of consumer products such as detergents, paints, furniture, cosmetics, and building materials, which is, in turn, fueling the surge in the demand for biocides across the world. Biocides are used in these products for enhancing their quality and performance and increasing their shelf life. Hence, with the growing usage of these compounds in consumer products and water treatment plants, the global biocides market will register rapid expansion in the coming years.
Metallic, organic acid, organosulfur, halogenated, phenolic, and nitrogenous are the commonly used types of biocides all over the world. Out of these, the usage of the halogenated biocides was observed to be the highest in the past. This is credited to the high requirement of these variants in water treatment facilities and the large-scale utilization of iodine in healthcare items. Further, the increasing requirement of treated water in many countries will boost the sales of these products in the future years.
Some of the major application areas of these products are water treatment plants, households, institutional (HI&I) cleaning processes, human hygiene, industrial operations, aquaculture, and agriculture. Amongst these, the usage of biocidal products was found to be significantly high in water treatment facilities during the last few years. This is because of the huge requirement of treated and potable water in industrial and residential applications respectively. Moreover, with the growing demand for treated water, the usage of biocides will increase enormously in water treatment processes in the forthcoming years.
Across the globe, the biocides market will exhibit the fastest growth in the Asia-Pacific region in the upcoming years, as per the estimates of P&S Intelligence, a market research firm based in India. The main factor fueling the demand for biocides in the region is the burgeoning requirement of treated water in industrial and residential applications in India, China, and various other Southeast Asian nations. In addition to this, the rising industrial capacity of these nations will further boost the usage of biocidal products in the region in the coming years.
Hence, it can be safely said that there will be a sharp rise in the sales of biocidal products all over the world in the years to come, primarily because of their increasing requirement in water treatment facilities and consumer products.
