PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
Extending lifecycle and protecting against the bugs
Microbes such as bacteria, mould, and fungi, can have a negative impact on healthcare buildings – and can also affect internal fixtures and fittings, products, and equipment. David Hall, managing director of antimicrobial solutions specialist, BioCote, explains how antimicrobial technology can help to guard against microbially induced corrosion, which can result in costly and inconvenient repair and maintenance work, and how it also reduces the risk of cross-contamination by supporting internal cleaning regimes.
Awareness of microbes such as bacteria, mould, and fungi, and the detrimental effect they can have when they contaminate buildings – whether external structures or internal fixtures and fittings – has been heightened exponentially in recent years, and controlling microbial growth has become increasingly important. It is essential for health estates managers to consider the potential impact that microbes can have on buildings such as hospitals, health centres, and clinics (and subsequently the services they provide), as the consequences can be significant and costly. Many building materials are susceptible to microbial growth and can be adversely affected – including concrete, which, being the earth’s most commonly used man-made material, is used extensively in buildings.
Microbially induced corrosion While concrete is an inherently porous material that will naturally degrade over time, microorganisms can accelerate the process by causing or intensifying corrosion or deterioration – known as microbially induced corrosion (MIC) or biodeterioration. Ultimately, MIC reduces the stability of concrete, and can potentially lead to early structural failure, with some studies showing that live organisms may play a significant role in the deterioration of concrete structures. It has been suggested that the biodeterioration
According to a report from Grand View Research, the healthcare end-use segment led the global antimicrobial plastics market in 2020, accounting for more than 31 per cent share of the global revenue that year.
of concrete is mainly caused by bacteria, fungi, algae, and lichens. In fact, MIC is rarely caused by just one type of microbe, but rather by a complex ecosystem that makes the conditions more favourable for the introduction of other microorganisms. MIC affects the long-term durability and mechanical properties of concrete through the creation of acids that react with ingredients in the concrete mixture. Although the alkaline pH value of concrete (pH 11-12) is high enough to naturally inhibit the growth of most microbes, some will thrive in such environments, and, once on the concrete surface, biodeterioration will
begin. As the alkaline-friendly microbes reproduce, they oxidise sulphates and create sulphuric acid – a highly corrosive substance that then causes damage to the concrete.
Microbes survive and reproduce Furthermore, the production of sulphuric acid also reduces the pH level to one that is more favourable to other microbes, allowing them to survive and reproduce on the concrete surface. Once the surface is contaminated, microbes will continue to grow, producing biogenic acids and causing further deterioration (unless the surface is regularly decontaminated with strong disinfectants). A study has shown that the erosive action of water, and/or the friction of structural elements with other materials, generate roughness on the concrete surface, which, in addition to the availability of moisture and nutrients, facilitates the colonisation of microbes on concrete surfaces. According to one study, microorganisms
BioCote says that ‘antimicrobial solutions are beneficial for healthcare infrastructure, where quality and durability are essential’.
affect concrete mainly by contributing to the erosion of the exposed concrete surface, reducing the protective cover depth, increasing concrete porosity, and increasing the transport of degrading materials into the concrete that can
April 2022 Health Estate Journal 37
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
