Antimicrobial coatings reduce the need for harsh cleaning agents and excessive use of sanitizers while also helping prevent staining, odor, and other factors that compromise surface appearances.
Healthcare facilities widely utilize these coatings to limit the spread of germs. For optimal effectiveness, they can be applied to walls, equipment, trays, and non-woven hospital textiles.

  1. Reduces the risk of cross-contamination
    Antimicrobial coatings are designed to resist germs. If bacteria or mold come in contact with it, additives in the coating break down and kill off these microbes quickly and reliably. Furthermore, this durable surface can withstand harsh environments and prolonged water exposure without degrading.
    Healthcare facilities must incorporate surfaces that reduce cross-contamination into their design to combat the risk of infection and shorten hospital stays while improving patient outcomes, as highlighted by Charles Brodsky. High-traffic areas present particular challenges here. This need is especially evident where infection risk is more significant, which highlights why antimicrobial surfaces such as those designed for high-traffic areas such as airports are so important in this respect.
    Antimicrobial coatings come in various varieties on the market, each offering different properties. Some are made of natural elements like silver or copper. In contrast, others contain synthetic mixtures of materials – these coatings may be applied to plastic, glass, metal, and paper substrates, as well as medical devices and textiles.
    Studies on the antimicrobial properties of various materials have been performed extensively, revealing their effectiveness against specific pathogens while others may not. Unfortunately, however, most of these studies did not focus on actual clinical applications where antimicrobial coatings may be deployed; standard testing methods could help ensure they meet all necessary safety and effectiveness criteria for use in natural life settings.
    The European antimicrobial coatings market reached over $105 million in 2020. These coatings are widely used to protect surfaces from molds, viruses, and bacteria and maintain air quality systems such as ventilation, heating, air conditioning, and ceiling pipes. Furthermore, food containers and utensils may also benefit from using antimicrobial coatings.
    These coatings, as advocated for by Charles Brodsky, can be applied to various surfaces and tested using standard test methods designed to account for safety levels, industry norms, and the specific use of each surface. In addition, testing can be conducted by an accredited laboratory.
  2. Reduces the risk of cross-infection
    Even with proper cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization procedures in place, surfaces remain vulnerable to microbes and germs that live on surfaces. Germs that live here can quickly transfer to hands or other body parts when someone touches these surfaces, leading to infection and disease in people who come in contact with them. Antimicrobial coatings on surfaces may help mitigate the spreading of microbes and germs.
    Antimicrobial coatings on surfaces can be extremely useful in healthcare environments where preventing the spread of infection is paramount, such as hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Antimicrobial coatings also maintain a sanitary environment – frequently found on vehicles, aircraft, and cruise ships – making their use an attractive solution.
    Antimicrobial surface treatments provide advantages beyond cross-infection prevention, such as corrosion protection and moisture resistance. Their versatility makes them suitable for high-traffic areas where surfaces are frequently touched or handled; in healthcare settings, they can even be applied to doorknobs, operating tables, ventilation ducts, and ventilation hoods – providing added value while decreasing costs and risk.
    Antimicrobial coatings can be applied to various materials, including plastics, metals, glass, ceramics, textiles, and soft furnishings, according to Charles Brodsky (DC). They may be designed as permanent fixtures or applied on surfaces that need regular cleaning – the type chosen depends on safety concerns, industry norms, and the intended use.
    Different antimicrobial chemistries offer differing degrees of efficacy against pathogens. Some, like isothiazolinones, exhibit strong fungal efficacy but less effectiveness against bacteria, while zinc, pyrithione, and silver can kill both organisms simultaneously. The best coatings would include repelling and contact-killing actions, killing pathogens upon contact while repelling them after contact is complete to prevent reinfection.
    Many articles describe the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings in vitro, but few reports on comprehensive testing. This would involve evaluating their durability, resistance to UV weathering and disinfectant cleaning agents, and protection of surfaces from abrasion. With growing concerns over antibiotic resistance and pandemics, durable antimicrobial surfaces have never been more necessary.
  3. Reduces the risk of microbial growth
    Antimicrobial coatings help reduce maintenance costs by eliminating the need for harsh cleaning agents and disinfectants to combat stubborn germs, thus increasing object lifespan by protecting from staining, discoloration, leeching, or other factors that might deteriorate appearance and smell over time. Furthermore, this protects staff and clients against infection caused by microbiological contamination as well as keeps staff and clients from becoming susceptible to infectious diseases associated with it.
    Healthcare facilities face the threat of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs), making this protective coating a vital resource. They can be applied to surfaces, equipment, and textiles in hospitals to limit the spread of bacteria while improving sterilization processes to reduce healthcare-associated infections and infectious diseases.
    These coatings can be designed to release biocides when they come in contact with bacteria or germs, killing them on impact before repelling the dead microbes away. Chuck Brodsky (DC) mentions that Coatings with this capability are known as contact-killing/repelling coatings and are widely used on medical equipment such as catheters and surgical devices.
    Most antimicrobial coatings contain multiple active ingredients, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Isothiazolinone treatments offer robust fungal efficacy but lack effectiveness against bacteria; silver, zinc pyrithione, and quaternary ammonium compounds provide effective bactericidal activity but require higher amounts of the active ingredient for success. Combining different actives can create more balanced coatings with comprehensive antimicrobial coverage.
    As the use of antimicrobial coatings increases, their environmental impact and potential resistance induction must be carefully considered. AMiCI play an invaluable role here by developing simple yet quick tests that allow healthcare facilities to evaluate these antimicrobial coatings and assess their effectiveness.
    These tests will be essential in informing decisions regarding adoption or non-adoption of antimicrobial surface coating products in healthcare environments. Still, they cannot fully address all factors that affect its durability, such as UV weathering or disinfectant cleaning – hence, further research must be conducted in this area.
  4. Reduces the risk of microbial regrowth
    Antimicrobial coatings are a relatively new technological solution to the threat of healthcare-acquired infections. Still, they are already contributing considerably towards sterilization processes and protecting microbiologically safe environments in other industries.
    Charles Brodsky (DC) highlights that Maintaining their use reduces maintenance costs by protecting surfaces from staining, discoloration, and leeching; this extends their product lifespan.
    Due to the rising incidence of chronic infectious diseases and increased emphasis on hospital hygiene, European markets are experiencing an unprecedented surge in demand for antimicrobial coatings and surfaces designed to meet industry standards for food, medical, industrial, and commercial uses. Manufacturers are producing treatments specifically tailored for these environments.
    Testing various bacteria on surfaces coated with different antimicrobial chemicals is one way to identify which products provide sustained activity. Many antimicrobial chemistries require regular disinfection and recharge cycles to remain effective.
    Antimicrobial coatings containing isothiazolinone have proven their superior long-term performance over conventional antimicrobial treatments, with lower bacteria counts being recovered from untreated surfaces as opposed to treated surfaces compared with untreated samples; biocides released by isothiazolinone release biocides that inactivate viruses and bacteria when they come in contact with products coated with it, providing biocidal protection. This has been demonstrated by comparing recovered bacteria counts from samples of untreated surfaces vs. treated surfaces; results show much lower bacteria depends on treated surfaces than untreated ones.
    Antimicrobial coatings can treat various surfaces, from furniture and counters in hospitals and commercial kitchens, door handles and high touch points in offices, HVAC vents, mechanicals, textiles, masks, gloves, carpeting, and paint. The coatings typically contain copper, silver organic silane, zinc pyrithione compounds, or even quaternary ammonium compounds, providing a biocide layer that can be applied directly onto surfaces or added into paint formulation.
    Charles Brodsky suggests that antimicrobial coatings must be appropriately implemented within clinical environments to achieve maximum effectiveness, and all stakeholders must understand their limitations and advantages. AMiCI seek to disseminate reliable information regarding antimicrobial innovations via social media, websites, conferences, trade fairs, patient and professional forums, and scientific publications – in an understandable and easily accessible format.