Scientists create coating that kills bacteria in a few minutes

^{Translation by Diana Taborda}

A multidisciplinary team of scientists led by Jorge Coelho and Paula Morais from the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra (FCTUC) has developed a surface varnish that kills even the most resistant bacteria in just 15 minutes, providing a safe and effective solution to prevent and combat hospital-acquired infections.

This new smart varnish with high antimicrobial activity, activated by white light and harmless to humans, was developed as part of the SafeSurf research project, funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and involving researchers from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) and the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD).

The effectiveness of the varnish in eliminating bacteria was demonstrated in a series of antimicrobial tests. The great innovation, according to the project coordinators, lies in the fact that "we can incorporate these two compounds in a polyurethane-based industrial formulation varnish, using industrial conditions, giving the varnish the innovation of antibacterial functionality, thus facilitating its market launch. A very complex phase of the project, carried out by our colleagues at FEUP, was the formulation of the varnish containing the cationic polymers and the photosensitiser".

Knowing that the vast majority of infections occur in hospitals, Jorge Coelho and Paula Morais point out that "smart surface coatings with multiple mechanisms of antimicrobial activity have emerged as an advanced approach to safely prevent this type of infection". Thus, they add, this new coating represents "an effective and safe solution for the prevention and control of nosocomial infections [acquired in hospitals], since it prevents the spread of bacteria on surfaces".

When asked when this solution will be available on the market, professors and researchers from the FCTUC's Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences Departments say that from a scientific point of view, "the concept is proven, i.e. an effective varnish has been developed that is completely safe for humans. However, the project needs to be evaluated from an economic point of view.