BRAND-NEW
New Coatings for Plastics will Prevent Transmission of Hospital-acquired Infections The MOBACT project is developing bio-based solutions as an environmentally sustainable alternative to metal in order to fight the current major public health problem of hospital-acquired infections.
N
ot only COVID-19 pandemic, but
cleaning. In order to solve this problem, a
of microorganisms on healthcare surfaces
also other public health problems
consortium made up of AIMPLAS - Plastics
near patients as a means of reducing up to
continue to be of high concern for
Technology Centre in Paterna (Valencia,
one-third of the burden of these diseases,
the European Centre for Disease Prevention
Spain), the Institute of Materials Technology
which represent a health risk that calls for
and Control (ECDC), such as hospital-acquired
of the Universitat Politècnica de València, the
considerable public spending.
infections caused by microorganisms and
companies Lamberti and Industrias Tayg,
The project aim is to prevent the
transmitted through contact surfaces.
and the La Fe Hospital Health Research
accumulation and proliferation of
Depending on their nature and environmental
Institute are developing the MOBACT Project
microorganisms thanks to the development
conditions, these surfaces can host
with funding from the Valencian Innovation
of new materials based on active substances
microorganism colonies for several months,
Agency (AVI). The goal is to develop a
with bacteriostatic or bactericidal capacity
even after what might appear to be proper
technology capable of curtailing colonization
to add in furniture surface coatings or in injected parts mass-produced. Another goal is to ensure that the materials are environmentally sustainable: the project team is working with compounds of renewable origin as alternatives to metal compounds, traditionally used because of their resistance to the high temperatures of different transforming processes. The new bio-based compounds will be encapsulated in polymer matrices, so they can be used as water-based coatings. Research findings will be validated in a real hospital environment to check their functionality and compliance with current legislation. This project is in line with the United Nations’ Strategic Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 3 on good health and wellbeing, SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, and SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production.
For further information: © AIMPLAS
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N. 67 - JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
www.aimplas.net