Photocatalytic coatings to control healthcare acquired infections
Pathogens can be spread to humans by a number of routes of transmission including air, water, food and through contact with contaminated surfaces. Disinfection strategies are widely practiced to inactivate pathogens and therefore minimise the risk of outbreaks of disease. It is not possible, nor desirable, to create completely sterile environments, however, novel disinfection methods are being sought to provide additional means of protection in a number of areas where disease outbreaks could lead serious illness or fatalities, e.g. food preparation areas, pharmaceutical manufacturing plants and healthcare facilities. The risk of contamination arising from contact with surfaces and medical devices has received much attention due to increased incidence of healthcare acquired infections (HAI). Between 8 and 12 % of patients entering UK hospitals contract an infection during their treatment.
Over the past two decades, the inactivation/disinfection of microorganisms using photocatalytic materials has been widely studied. The majority of this work has focused upon the disinfection of a wide range of pathogens suspended in water, however, recent attention has focused on the development of photocatalytic biocidal, or “selfcleaning”, surfaces. Photocatalytic disinfection is achieved by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting from redox reactions occurring at the surface of photo-excited semiconductor, most commonly titanium dioxide. This research will focus on the fabrication and characterisation of visible light active photocatalytic coatings for environmental surface decontamination. This will be an interdisciplinary project involving the assessment of photocatalytic surface disinfection using clinically relevant microorganisms and standardised test protocols. For more information see;
PSM Dunlop, CP Sheeran, JA Byrne, MA Boyle, KG McGuigan, Inactivation of clinically relevant pathogens by photocatalytic coatings, Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry (2010),doi:10.1016/j.jphotochem.2010.07.004
Personnel Involved
First Supervisor: Byrne, J Dr
Second Supervisor: Burke, G Dr
Collaboration: This project does not involve collaboration with another establishment
Synopsis:
Pathogens can be spread to humans by a number of routes of transmission including air, water, food and through contact with contaminated surfaces. Disinfection strategies are widely practiced to inactivate pathogens and therefore minimise the risk of outbreaks of disease.This research will focus on the fabrication and characterisation of visible light active photocatalytic coatings for environmental surface decontamination. This will be an interdisciplinary project involving the assessment of photocatalytic surface disinfection using clinically relevant microorganisms and standardised test protocols.