Speco Explains: Is Your Antimicrobial Coating Really Effective?
Antimicrobial coatings are invisible to our eyes. How do we differentiate a good coating from the rest? Upon closer inspection, you will realise some claims may not be what they seem to be. We have identified 3 main areas to look out for to make an informed decision.
1) Test organisms needs to be Viruses, not Bacteria only
Most antimicrobial coatings claim to have at least a 99.9% kill efficacy. However, the test could be conducted against bacteria only. Effective against bacteria does not mean effective against viruses, they are not the same. In this COVID-19 pandemic, the test should be carried out against recommended coronavirus strains including Human Coronavirus 229E and Murine Hepatitis Virus (MHV; a murine coronavirus).
2) Test as a Coating, not a General Disinfectant
Even with a good kill efficacy, was the result achieved properly? Most products will have a general disinfectant test report to show how well the product works as a disinfecting solution (conducted via solution testing). In order to compare apple to apple, the product has to be tested in the right way; as a coating not as a general disinfectant.
A good coating’s test results must show it is i) durable over time, ii) durable after frequent interactions (including stepped-up cleaning) and iii) still able to kill viruses (not only bacteria) quickly upon contact.
3) Test standards need to be done by Accredited labs with internationally accredited standards
Standards are there to effectively compare results and make meaningful conclusions among products that took the same test. Several internationally recognized standards will be the ISO, ASTM and JIS standards. This includes ISO22196, ISO21702 and JIS Z2081.
If tests are done in Singapore, they should be conducted by a SAC-SINGLAS accredited laboratory or a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory that has access to the correct strains of test organisms.
If the tests are conducted overseas, you may wish to check on the lab’s accreditation level and the standards they have used to test the product so that you can be sure that the results are achieved according to international standards.
Aside from the above, there are many other factors to consider including environmental and safety aspects. Especially when coatings are bound to your surfaces over an extended period of time, using the wrong product may result in long term negative effects on your well-being and the environment. We encourage all parties to scrutinise product claims in order to make an informed decision.
