ANTIMICROBIALS | ADDITIVES
Trends in markets from consumer goods to healthcare indicate good potential for antimicrobial additives, but misperceptions need to be addressed. Jennifer Markarian finds out more
The battle to beat bacteria
Media coverage of the global growth of “superbugs” such as MRSA (Meticillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) means consumers today are well aware of the risk posed by microbial infection. And for good reason; the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated that microbial and fungal infections play a part in up to 100,000 hospital deaths annually in the US alone. Meanwhile, consumers hear near-daily of problems associated with food safety or bacterial growth on surfaces in public areas. Antimicrobial materials and additives are one of the tools available to manage such risk. However, consumers – and the companies that make plastic products for them – often have questions about their safety. They ask, for example, about toxicity and whether such additives lead to antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial – or biocide – suppliers reply that their additives can help to protect plastics from microbial growth and that they are both extensively tested and registered with all relevant regulatory authorities. Keeping up with
www.compoundingworld.com
these global regulations is a challenge for additive producers and users, but many also see an ongoing opportunity to educate users about the value of antimicrobial technology and how it fits into the sustainability picture.
Although single-use plastic items such as plastic bags and bottles are coming under attack over concerns about waste and littering, re-usable items of all types – including plastics – are viewed by most consumers as sustainable. Antimicrobials have value in keeping these re-usable products “cleaner” by promoting a hygienic surface, and can extend acceptable lifetimes by preventing degradation or reducing odour and staining caused by microbiological activity. UK-based Addmaster, for example, has been
promoting the benefits of its Biomaster antimicrobial technology in protecting and prolonging the useable life of products such as reusable water bottles, coffee cups or shopping bags that are not cleaned adequately between each use, says founder and CEO Paul Morris. He
July 2019 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 15
Main image: Concerns over hospital- acquired
infections and the risk of product contamination are behind the growing interest in antimicrobial additive technology
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
