Potential antimicrobial effects of photocatalytic nanothecnologies in hospital settings.
ANNALI DI IGIENE : MEDICINA PREVENTIVA E DI COMUNITA 2020;
31:461-473. [PMID:
31304526 DOI:
10.7416/ai.2019.2307]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Recently, several advanced technologies have been considered to reduce the microbial load in hospital environments and control Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) incidence. New strategies for preventing HAIs have continuously evolved, including enforcement of hygiene procedures by novel liquid biocides or no-touch technologies, self-disinfecting surfaces coated by heavy metals or light-activated photosensitizers such as Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles.
STUDY DESIGN
Review publications concerning the use of photocatalytic systems in hospital setting, focusing on products based on TiO2.
METHODS
Specific keywords combinations were analitically searched in PubMed and Scopus databases.
RESULTS
Starting 80s-90s, over 2000 papers report "in vitro" studies on antimicrobial activity of TiO2 photocatalysis on several microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, yeasts, and antibiotic resistant strains. Besides, at least 4 selected papers addressed the potentials of this approach by "in field" studies, showing a widespread pool of applications in hospital and healthcare settings. However, the low number of available experiences and their heterogeneity represent major limitations to achieve a comprehensive final overview on effectiveness and feasibility of these technologies.
CONCLUSIONS
Photocatalytic systems based on TiO2 represent a promising strategy for hospital hygiene and HAI prevention. Additional "in field" studies are desirable in a next future to further evaluate and exploit this novel and interesting health technology.
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