Nanoparticles as antifungal additives for indoor water-borne paints

Antimicrobial paints are important tool in order to avoid indoor biological colonisation and therefore prevent paint bio-deterioration and health problems in people and pets. These paints would have application in kitchens, bathrooms and hospitals.

Silver smaller size nanoparticles were most effective

The present study evaluated the incorporation of silver (of two different sizes), copper and zinc oxide nanoparticles in indoor waterborne paints and the bio-resistance imparted by them. The antifungal activity of nanoparticles is a less studied topic in relation to the antibacterial activity but is no less important from the environmental point of view. Molds that grow in indoor environments contribute significantly with bioaerosol formation and therefore on air contamination and human health deterioration. In this sense, this research evaluated the nanoparticles’ antifungal activity using previously isolated fungi, Chaetomium globosum and Alternaria alternata, on solid medium. Then, the bio-resistance of acrylic paints, with nanoparticles incorporated, was evaluated in Petri dishes and observations were made using scanning electron microscopy. The better results were obtained with the paint that contained silver with the smaller size (10 nm).

The study is published in: Progress in Organic Coatings, Volume 86, September 2015, Pages 33-40.