A self-disinfecting fabric eliminates bacteria, fungi and viruses in hospital settings

A team of researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València and various other institutions have developed a self-disinfecting cotton fabric capable of eliminating bacteria, fungi, and viruses in hospital settings using visible light. The fabric incorporates two photoactive compounds that, when exposed to light, generate a highly reactive form of oxygen that damages the microorganisms adhering to the fabric, thereby eliminating them.

Laboratory tests showed that the fabric completely inactivated Escherichia coli within 60 minutes and Enterococcus faecalis within 20 minutes when exposed to light, and achieved a reduction in Candida albicans within three hours. The material also retains a significant proportion of its activity after repeated washes, maintaining a bactericidal efficacy above reference levels used for antimicrobial fabrics even after 20 cycles.

In hospital validation, the fabric exposed to light accumulated 75% fewer microorganisms than a conventional cotton fabric placed under the same conditions, with the antimicrobial effect being particularly high against gram-positive bacteria. The manufacturing process could be easily integrated into standard textile-finishing techniques, facilitating the large-scale development of new self-disinfecting textiles for hospitals.

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