Abstract
The goal of this study was to develop a sustainable, tannin-based option for silver-based and other current antimicrobial solutions for hospital privacy curtains. Commercial tree-derived tannins were characterized and their in vitro antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were determined. Hydrolysable tannins showed greater antibacterial efficacy than condensed tannins but differences in antibacterial efficacy between any of the tannins could not be attributed to their functional group content or molar mass. Outer membrane disruption was not a significant factor in antibacterial efficacy of tannins against E. coli. In a hospital field study, draw patches coated with hydrolysable tannins and affixed to privacy curtains reduced total bacteria count by 60% over eight weeks compared to their matching uncoated reference sides. In a follow-up laboratory study with S. aureus, very light spraying with water improved contact between bacteria and coating, enhancing the antibacterial effect by several orders of magnitude.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 187 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Journal of Functional Biomaterials |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 27 Mar 2023 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
Funding
This investigation was carried out as part of the ‘Hospital Microbes and Hospital Plastics’ project funded by the European Regional Development Fund (grant no. A74166). The project aimed at providing antimicrobial materials based on tree-derived antimicrobial agents for hospitals. The authors would like to thank Elers Medical Finland Ltd. (Helsinki, Finland), Christian Markmann GmbH (Hamburg, Germany) and IMCD Finland Oy (Espoo, Finland) for providing curtain and coating materials free of charge.
Keywords
- antimicrobial
- coating
- curtain
- E. coli
- hospital
- hygiene
- MRSA
- S. aureus
- tannin
