PREVENTING DISEASE

NaNotechNology helps battle the bugs

By Dr Larry Jordan, Program Manager Nanostructured Materials, Nanotechnology Victoria Ltd, Melbourne

good antibacterial qualities have led to more nanostructured materials being introduced in a variety of products. While applications are still being developed, the use of antimicrobial agents in building materials already has many benefits.

ntibacterial nanomaterials have been used in a number of textiles, plastics and ceramics coming on the market in recent years. Antibacterial fridges, bathroom tiles and paints are now advertised. Antibacterial surfaces are seen as a second line of defense against disease, although normal good hygiene practices, such as wiping down benches, need to be maintained.

Nanoparticles (particles less than 100 nm in diameter) are much more active than larger particles. This is because a given weight of nanoparticles has a much higher surface area than the same weight of larger particles. A kilogram of nanoparticles could have a surface area of one square kilometre, if the surface areas of each particle were added up. It is this high activity which makes nanoparticles suitable for hygienic surfaces.

The use of antimicrobial agents in building materials has a number of potential benefits:
enhanced hygienic properties odour control in gymnasium equipment prevention of staining and discolouration

from microbial attacks

retention of mechanical properties, as

micro-organisms can degrade compounds such as plasticisers, fibres, and some polymer materials. There are two key nanoparticles which have been used in antibacterial materials: silver nanoparticles; and titania nanoparticles. As well as being antibacterial, nanoparticle silver has some antifungal activity. Other nanoparticles, such as copper and zinccontaining particles, have been used also for producing antifungal surfaces.

Silver nanoparticles
Nanoparticle silver is a broad spectrum antibacterial additive that works at very low concentrations. Silver nanoparticles can be mixed into a building material as an additive at typical silver concentrations of between 1% and 0.01%. As the particles are so small and added at a low concentration, they do not affect the appearance of the material. However, some silver compounds may react with light causing discolouration and these should not be used where this is an issue. Light stability should be guaranteed by the manufacturer. The additives can be either silver particles, silver particles mixed into a supporting media such as silica, or silver ions attached to a host molecule. Particles mixed into a supporting media have the advantage of longevity and prevention of nanoparticle aggregation. The action is similar, whatever type of additive is used. Each relies on the additive

Laboratory bacteria culture tests.

Fluorescent images of bacteria on a glass surface.

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reacting with moisture present in the building material to release silver ions (Ag+). Although normal silver metal would release silver ions, the benefit of nanoparticles is that their high surface area results in a much faster rate of release, resulting in a dilute solution of silver ions to maintain antibacterial activity.

Uses of silver
With concerns about the release of antibacterial compounds to the environment, silver is said to have an advantage in that it is deactivated in the environment and in waste-water treatment plants by reaction with sulfide or other reactive ions. Silver has other advantages, such as thermal stability, which makes it suitable for use with high temperatures. Silver also has FDA food contact approval for concentrations of up to 3%. Nanosilver is suitable for indoor and outdoor uses. The manufacturers guarantee of an antibacterial building material is important, as the item needs to contain a suitable concentration of antimicrobial agent in the right form to cover its life-time. It should also have passed antibacterial test specifications.

The manufacturer should also have demonstrated that discolouration of the silver additive under sunlight does not occur, as some silver compounds are known to darken under sunlight. While many applications of nanosilver are under development, the main benefits may emerge in materials used in hospitals and food processing areas, as well as domestic kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Interestingly, silver nanoparticles have been used by health care companies in wound dressings and bandages recently.

In outdoor applications, the level of UV is high enough that titania nanoparticles can kill bacteria and mould, and degrade organic pollutants. Because of this, nanoparticle titania materials have been used for self-cleaning windows and building faades. Titania with dopants, which enable the titania to work under visible indoor light, is a topic of much research even then, the need for a certain intensity of light for activation would limit the surfaces that could be commercially developed.

Uses of titania
One area in which titania nanoparticles have had success is in air-conditioning units in which a UV light can be installed, guaranteeing activation of the titania surface. As well as killing bacteria in such units, titania nanoparticle surfaces can remove smells by oxidizing the odour-causing molecules. Titania nanoparticle coatings have even been demonstrated for use in aquariums, in which the titania interacts with UV light to break down algae on the glass surface, reducing the need for cleaning. For more information contact Dr Larry Jordan on larry.jordan@nanovic.com.au or visit NanoVic at www.nanovic.com.au.

Titania nanoparticles
The use of titania nanoparticles as an antibacterial additive relies on UV light interacting with the titania in the presence of moisture to form free radicals. Free radicals are very strong oxidizing agents stronger even than peroxide or bleach, and they kill bacteria in a similar way. The limitation with such surfaces, such as when used in bathroom tiles, is that the level of UV light indoors can be too low to result in antibacterial action, and claims that such surfaces are antibacterial should be treated with caution.

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