Antimicrobial surface

An antimicrobial surface is coated by an antimicrobial agent that inhibits the ability of microorganisms to grow[1] on the surface of a material. Such surfaces are becoming more widely investigated for possible use in various settings including clinics, industry, and even the home. The most common and most important use of antimicrobial coatings has been in the healthcare setting for sterilization of medical devices to prevent hospital-associated infections, which have accounted for almost 100,000 deaths in the United States.[2] In addition to medical devices, linens and clothing can provide a suitable environment for many bacteria, fungi, and viruses to grow when in contact with the human body which allows for the transmission of infectious disease.[3]

Antimicrobial surfaces are functionalized in a variety of different processes. A coating may be applied to a surface that has a chemical compound that is toxic to microorganisms. In the alternative, it is possible to functionalize a surface by adsorbing a polymer or polypeptide and/or by changing its micro and nanostructure.[4]

An innovation in antimicrobial surfaces is the discovery that copper and its alloys (brasses, bronzes, cupronickel, copper-nickel-zinc, and others) are natural antimicrobial materials that have intrinsic properties to destroy a wide range of microorganisms. Peer-reviewed antimicrobial efficacy studies have been published regarding copper’s efficacy in destroying E. coli O157:H7, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus, Clostridioides difficile, influenza A virus, adenovirus, and fungi.[5]

Many industries other than the health industry have used antimicrobial surfaces to keep surfaces clean. The physical nature of the surface or its chemical makeup can be manipulated to create an inhospitable environment for micro-organisms. Photocatalytic materials have been used for their ability to kill many micro-organisms and therefore can be used for self-cleaning surfaces as well as air cleaning, water purification, and antitumor activity.[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference urlDorlands Medical Dictionary:antibacterial was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Antimicrobial Peptides was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference A review on the application of inorganic nano-structured materials in the modification of textiles was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Chen C, Enrico A, Pettersson T, Ek M, Herland A, Niklaus F, et al. (September 2020). "Bactericidal surfaces prepared by femtosecond laser patterning and layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte coating". Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. 575: 286–297. Bibcode:2020JCIS..575..286C. doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2020.04.107. PMID 32380320.
  5. ^ "Copper Touch Surfaces". Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference titania photocatalysis was invoked but never defined (see the help page).