The New Nanotechnology of Paints. New nanotechnology paints for walls, ceilings,andsurfacescouldbe used to kill hospital superbugs whenfluorescentlightsareswitched on, scientists heard today (Wednesday10September2008) atthe Society for General Microbiology'sAutumnmeetingbeing held thisweek at Trinity College, Dublin.
The new paints contain tiny particles of titaniumdioxide,whichisthe dazzling white compound often used as abrightenerincommercialpaints. It will also be familiar to tennisfans asthepowder used forthe white lines to mark out thecourtsatWimbledon.
Scientists have discovered thatextremelysmall,nanoparticle-sizedforms of titanium dioxide cankillbacteria anddestroy dirt when theyabsorb ultraviolet light(UV)energy fromthe sun. They produce activemolecules which cleanupthe paintedsurfaces.
"It would be best if the titanium wasantibacterialatwavelengthsof light that you find indoors, suchasfluorescentlight, so thatpaints containing the nanoparticlescouldbe used inhospitals andother places where a clean environmentisimportant,"said LuciaCaballero from ManchesterMetropolitanUniversity, UK.
The researchers looked at the survival ofthefoodpoisoningbacterium Escherichia coli on differentformulationsofpaintscontaining the titanium nanoparticles underdifferenttypesandintensities of lights. "We found thatpaintscontainingtitaniumdioxide are more successful at killingbacteriaiftheconcentration of the nanoparticles is strongerthaninnormalpaint. Our best results showed that all the E.coliwerekilledunder ordinary fluorescent lights," said LuciaCaballero.
"However, other common additives in paints,suchascalciumcarbonate, silica or talc decreasedtheantibacterialefficiency ofthe paint. If calcium carbonatewaspresent the killrate droppedby up to 80%," said LuciaCaballero."Our tests on acommerciallyavailable paint showed thatthe abilityof the paint toinactivatebacteria was massively reducedcomparedwith a paintformulationwhich did not contain such
additives."
With rising concern about the spreadofhospitalsuperbugs,healthcare trusts are increasingly lookingtofind betterways tomaintain hygienic standards in hospitals.Thesame concernsaredriving developments in the food industryandinpharmaceuticalcompanies. These new nanoparticlepaintscouldprovide a simple andcost-effective solution.
"Facilities such as bathrooms and childcarefacilities,publicconveniences and domestic bathrooms wouldallbenefit fromgoodhygiene control," said Lucia Caballero. "Inalltheseplaces,surface hygiene could be improved by theactionoffluorescentlight on catalytic surfaces such aspaintscontainingnanotitanium.This would slow down contamination andsaveon thecosts ofcleaning maintenance."
Posted September 14th, 2008 by AZO Materials.
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