Stardust Powder Coatings, a manufacturer of powder coatings based in L'Aquila, Italy, has tested for the first time and with positive results an antiviral coating that can inhibit the human Coronavirus NL63.

Powder coatings with antiviral properties are special virucidal coatings for application on metal surfaces. These coatings can inhibit the viruses present on the metal surfaces that surround us, for example, furniture and lighting fixtures, thus reducing the risk of the active virus coming into contact with humans due to a contaminated surface.

In March, Stardust Powder Coatings started the development and testing of coatings with antiviral properties.

The first positive outcome has already arrived for the Metalgrey 1050k product, a metallic epoxy powder coating that is widely used in the architecture and design sector.

The tests, conducted by the Virology Research Services laboratory in London, were performed against the human Coronavirus NL63 according to the standard protocol ISO21702, which quantifies the antiviral properties of surfaces.

The protocol entails the dispensation of a pre-determined concentration of a virus on a surface treated with the antiviral coating and on an untreated control surface. Both were incubated at room temperature for 24 hours in a humidified chamber.

Next, the samples were recovered by washing with media (neutralizer), and the amount of infectious virus in each suspension was quantified using a TCID50 assay. For the assay to be valid, the material tested must have no cytotoxic activity on the cells used to quantify the virus, nor interfere with cell sensitivity to infection.

In the material treated with Stardust antiviral coating, virucidal activity against Influenza A was observed with R-value (antiviral activity) 1.34 at a contact time of 2 hours, and with R-value 1.10 at a contact time of 24 hours. An R-value greater than 1 is considered virucidal. Furthermore, no cytotoxic activity was detected against the cells used to quantify the virus.

“Surface hygiene is one of the fundamental factors to reduce the risk of microbial proliferation and cross-contamination – an extremely current need, especially in crowded places such as public buildings, schools, hospitals, transportation, gyms, restaurants or coffee shops," said Guido Pozzoli, CEO of Stardust Powder Coatings. "To meet the growing demand for coatings that can ensure greater surface hygiene, we have undertaken an intense research and development process that has led to the launch of Guardian AM, a range of antimicrobial coatings with integrated silver ions BioCote technology which, in just 2 hours, can reduce up to 99.5% of the bacterial load on a product protected with the coating.

“But we didn't want to stop there. So, we immediately set to work to bring the protective effectiveness of our coatings to the next level in order to provide an antiviral property as well", continued Pozzoli. "The goal of Stardust is in fact to expand the range of Guardian AM coatings, combining antimicrobial and antiviral properties for any color and finish, and for any field of application. This will allow to further improve the permanent hygiene of surfaces and to achieve an even more effective hygienic defense, alongside cleaning and hand hygiene."

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