FORMATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECT ON CERAMIC TILE SURFACES

Abstract

Biocidal antimicrobial molecular barrier (BAMB) solutions are known to provide antimicrobial effect on the surfaces in industrial applications. However, there has been a lack of scientific reports about the subject in the literature. In this study, in order to impart an antimicrobial surface property on ceramic surfaces, a BAMB solution was applied on gloss fired ceramic wall tile substrates and the surface antimicrobial activity results were compared with that of plain wall tiles (without BAMB application). The ceramic surfaces were cleaned, and stove dried at120°C prior to spray coating with a BAMB solution. The coated substrates were dried in the ambient. The intactness of the coatings was checked with the bromophenol blue test. The microstructural and molecular characterization of the BAMB coated surfaces were carried out with SEM imaging and surface FTIR, respectively. The antimicrobial activity tests of the surfaces were conducted according to ASTM E2180-07 (Standard Test Method for Determining the Activity of Incorporated Antimicrobial Agent in Polymeric or Hydrophobic Materials). The microorganisms used were Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 15442) bacteria. The BAMB coated surfaces showed less flocculent bacterial growth in comparison to uncoated ceramic surfaces leading to the conclusion that the BAMB improved the antimicrobial property.