SANIC filters with Microban technology: the antibacterial protection your filtration system needs

How Microban Silver Technology Keeps Water Filters Bacteria-Free, 24/7

Microscopic view of bacteria: a reminder of what can accumulate inside a filter without proper protection

Drinking water is not entirely free of bacteria. And when we install a filter to improve its quality, a little-known paradox arises: bacteria can easily get trapped in the filter's structure itself, leading to bacterial growth that, over time, can affect the safety of the water we consume.

That's why Atlas Filtri, an Italian manufacturer with almost 50 years of experience in water treatment, developed SANIC: a line of filter housings and cartridges with integrated Microban antimicrobial protection. At Hidroteco, we work with this technology because it solves a problem that many filtration systems ignore: keeping not only the water coming out of the filter clean, but the filter itself.

The problem: bacteria also find a home in filters

A filter cartridge retains sediments, particles, and organic matter from the water flowing through it. This same function that makes it useful also makes it a conducive environment for the development of microorganisms: constant humidity, retained organic matter, and, in many cases, favorable ambient temperature. Without an additional barrier, a filter can end up generating more bacteria than it eliminates.

What is SANIC technology with Microban?

SANIC is Atlas Filtri's product line that incorporates Microban antimicrobial technology based on silver, a globally recognized biocide. The active ingredient, silver in the form of phosphate glass, is integrated directly into the plastic matrix of the housings and into each fiber or pore of the cartridges during the manufacturing process, not as a surface treatment that wears off with use.

This means that the protection does not wash off, does not run out with cleaning, and remains active throughout the product's life cycle, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Comparison of bacterial growth on untreated surfaces versus surfaces with Microban technology, over 24 hours. Source: Atlas Filtri.

How it works: the science behind the protection

The mechanism is purely physical and does not release chemicals into the water. Silver ions disrupt the vital functions of bacteria that come into contact with the treated surface, blocking their ability to reproduce. The result is that the filter surface becomes a hostile environment for bacterial growth, i.e., bacteriostatic.

Laboratory tests show a reduction in bacterial growth of up to 99.99% compared to untreated surfaces, comparing the same exposure period.

Housings and cartridges: an inseparable pair

                 

To take full advantage of the antimicrobial protection, Atlas Filtri designed the SANIC line so that the filter housings and cartridges work together, covering the entire surface in contact with the water:

• DP SANIC housings: Available in Mono, Duo, and Trio versions, for 10" and 20" cartridges, in transparent or opaque presentation.
• 3P PLUS SANIC housings: In individual and Duplex models, designed for point-of-entry (POE) applications.
• CPP SANIC cartridges (melt-blown): Blown polypropylene, ideal for retaining fine sediments.
• FA SANIC cartridges (wound): Wound polypropylene thread, for larger sediments.

When water flows, the cartridge is the main element of antibacterial action. When the flow stops and the water becomes stagnant, the treated surfaces of the housing continue to work, reinforcing the protection.