What is Antimicrobial Protective Coating and How Safe is it?

Antimicrobial protective coatings are those coatings which are treated with antimicrobial agents and used on surfaces to prevent the growth of mildew, mold, bacteria, etc. These coatings are unnecessary and potentially harmful to the humans, hence requiring protection in form of antimicrobial agents. Many products like textiles are coated with ink, paint, latex, PVC, etc. to add certain features to them, and these coatings are vulnerable to bacteria, algal, or fungal growth. They develop odor’s, or stains and also lose their properties. Ultimately, this reduces the longevity of the product. Antimicrobial coatings enhance the value and lifespan of such products by providing effective protection. Antimicrobial protection coatings have several applications and are commonly used in healthcare, restaurants, educational institutions, building industry, housewares, etc. They protect various surfaces that are frequently touched, such as door handles, medical devices, computer keyboards, ATMs, etc.

Benefits of Antimicrobial protective coatings

In recent times, antimicrobial protective coatings have shown their potential in several applications. The advantages they offer are: rn1. The coatings prolong the life of materials like plastic by preventing cracking, discoloration, and maintaining tensile strengthrn2. They effectively curb the spread of bacteria in high-touch surfaces in places like playgrounds, ATMs, countertops, doorknobs, etc.rn3. Hospitals and clinics are spaces always at a high risk of contamination. These places are often heavily crowded, and several sick people visit them daily. It is a challenge to maintain sanitization in these places and keep away harmful germs and bacteria. There are many surfaces like those of medical instruments, hospital beds, etc. which need to be properly sanitized. Special rooms like Intensive care units, operation theatres, neonatal wards need to be safe and free from pathogens. Antimicrobial coatings provide a high level of protection against germs and bacteria in these spaces and curb their spread.rn4. They help to reduce the negative impact of chemicals used for cleaning in medical environmentsrn5. The antimicrobial coatings dispense away with the need for using expensive cleaning products. Thus, by covering surfaces with these coatings, the cost taken to sanitize them can be saved rn6. Water, which is a precious natural resource, is scarce in many regions. By using the coatings, the use of water for cleaning surfaces can be avoided in these areas rn7. Restaurants see a lot of visitors daily, and several frequently touched surfaces, such as bathroom taps, are likely to be infested with germs or bacteria. Antimicrobial coatings help to sanitize these surfaces, which can potentially stop the spread of the diseases.rn8. In schools, there are surfaces that are possibly contaminated and are touched by kids frequently, such as desks, water taps, etc. The protective coatings help to keep these surfaces safe from pathogens and protect the children’s healthrn9. In residences, antimicrobial films can be used to cover windows and other surfaces to prevent the entry of pathogens. This will enable people to maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep away from diseasesrn10. In workplaces, these coatings can be used in the most-touched areas like washrooms, devices like zerox machines, printers, computer keyboards, etc. This will help to maintain a healthy and stress-free work environment for the employeesrn11. In places frequented by the public, like washrooms, parks, coffee machines, ATMs, etc. the use of such protective coatings is more practical and beneficial than spending huge amounts on chemicals rn12. In public transport like trains, buses, cabs, etc., protective coatings can safeguard passengers from germs and viruses. These coatings can be used to cover surfaces like seats, or railings that are touched often by the public rn13. The coatings are effective in inaccessible areas where it is difficult to clean using chemicals for killing the harmful microbes.

Are Antimicrobial protective coatings safe and effective?

• Most of the active ingredients present in antimicrobial coatings are non-toxic making them safe for usern• The active ingredients undergo test methods created by organizations like the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to assess their antimicrobial functionsrn• The active ingredients contained in the antimicrobial protective coatings when used in the right combination, are effective in controlling the spread of pathogens.

How can these antimicrobial coatings protect against covid-19?

During this Covid-19 crisis, all public places, work environments, as well as residences, need to maintain high degrees of sanitization. The virus can stay active in various types of surfaces for several hours, and it is necessary to prevent it from infecting people and also from the germs being multiplied. Though sanitizing with disinfectants and water is effective, it is not long-lasting and has to be done repeatedly. Therefore, it is more practical to use antimicrobial protective coatings on all surfaces since they not only reduce the cost of using cleaning chemicals but save precious time as well. rnScorpion antimicrobial films are easy to use, durable, and are effective on various surfaces. The films provide 24-hours protection due to the nonstop action of its antibacterial powers. They contain silver ions that stop the proliferation of harmful bacteria. Hence, it is widely used as a potential antimicrobial film which can be helpful against germ infestation.