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Scientists from University College London created a light-sensitive coating that kills harmful bacteria on screens and keyboards.
The scientists created the new coating by embedding particles of chemically modified gold in a material that contains crystal violet, a medical dye that has antibacterial properties.
Most coatings can only kill bacteria when exposed to bright lights, but the new coating can kill bacteria even in low-intensity, ambient lighting.
To test if the new coating is effective in killing bacteria, the scientists treated some surfaces with it and some with a coating that only contains crystal violet. They then introduced S. aureus [es AWR-ee-uh s] and E. coli [ee KOH-lahy] bacteria, which are commonly associated with infections, onto those surfaces. The team observed the growth of the bacteria under different lighting conditions.
Results showed that the coating with crystal violet alone did not kill the bacteria under ambient light. In contrast, the new coating was able to slow down the growth of the bacteria under the same level of lighting.
The scientists found that the new coating produces hydrogen peroxide, a bacteria-killing liquid commonly found in cleaning solutions. This liquid prevents the growth of bacteria by attacking their cells’ protective layer.
Aside from using the new coating on devices, the scientists are now looking into integrating it in healthcare environments soon. It can be used to coat the interior of some medical tools such as breathing tubes, which are common sources of infections. The new coating can also be distributed for wider use since it uses a very little amount of gold.