Fwd: Newly created paint kills Bacteria and Viruses

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http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/847Coat of paint could halt pandemicJacqui Hayes. Cosmos OnlineTuesday, 14 November 2006SYDNEY: Our best weapon in the battle against flu infection might be a non-toxic, 'spiky' coat of paint, according to U.S. scientists."We have designed and synthesised polymers that can be painted onto a material … [and the paint is] able to efficiently kill on contact human pathogenic bacteria and the influenza virus," said Alex Klibanov from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, USA.Until now, killing bacteria and viruses has involved using toxic chemicals. This new paint, described today in the U.S. journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, relies on structural

properties to destroy the pathogens instead.The researchers developed a polymer coating that forms spiky structures as it dries. The spikes, which each consist of 12 carbon atoms pointing directly up from the surface, work on the fatty outer envelope of the flu virus "like a needle popping a balloon", explained Kablinov.When its protective envelope is destroyed, the virus is rendered inactive. The spikes also kill bacteria, rupturing their cell membrane.The influenza virus, which attacks the respiratory system, infects five to 15 per cent of the world's population every year, resulting in about half a millions deaths, according to the World Health Organisation.Contaminated surfaces are the most common vector for the disease. As Kablinov explained, droplets of moisture containing the virus, released from an infected person, settle onto surfaces. The next person who touches the object then picks up the virus and can also become

infected."Our research was prompted by a compelling need to be able to make common objects and things microbicidal, thus arresting the spread of bacterial and viral infectious diseases," said Kablinov.Door knobs, air ducts and filters, hand rails, aeroplane tray tables, and children's toys could all be made sterile. "If you can paint it, you can microbicidally coat it," Kablinov explained.According to the researchers, the coatings are not specific - they would work on any type of bacteria or enveloped virus, including new strains such as bird flu that have the potential to cause pandemics.In their study, the researchers demonstrated the efficiency of the paint by coating a glass slide with the polymer. A drop of liquid containing a strain of the influenza virus was then placed on the slide, and the number of surviving viral particles was counted.The coating was 100 per cent effective, according to the researchers - not a single viral

particle was detected after contact with the coating.Further tests with higher and lower concentrations of viral particles in the initial drop proved equally effective - in all cases, no viral particles survived.According to the researchers, it took only five minutes of contact for all viral particles to be inactivated. This reflects the time it took for all the particles to reach the spikes, they said.Kablinov believes the paint has great commercial potential because it is easy to manufacture and apply. "Given the simplicity of the coating procedure, it should be applicable to various common materials," he said."Get off your ass and take your government back." ~Rocky Ward

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