According to Leeds-based Decorative Panels, the world’s first-ever antimicrobial classroom has been created at a primary school in the UK, resulting in huge reductions in levels of bacteria.
In the autumn of 2014, Decorative Panels worked with BioCote®, a leader in the field of antimicrobial technology and other users of its technology to create the world’s first-ever classroom that actively inhibits the growth of potentially harmful microbes.
The aim of the study was to measure and compare the numbers of bacteria in two classrooms in the same primary school after antimicrobial technology had been extensively applied to one, whilst the second is unchanged.
Readings collected
Over the academic year, levels of bacteria were measured on the surfaces of products. Simultaneously, data was collected from comparable but untreated items in another classroom. The demographics of both classrooms were suitably comparable.
Both classrooms were used and cleaned as normal. Typical daily cleaning of school classroom involves the wiping of sinks, draining board and table tops, sweeping the hard floor and vacuuming carpet. In addition, a weekly clean involved dusting of computers, shelves and worktops and mopping of non-absorbent floors.
Antimicrobial products were swabbed from the antimicrobial classroom whilst corresponding, untreated products and surfaces in the control classroom were swabbed at the same time. Swabs were collected before and after the school day and processed appropriately in the microbiology laboratory to isolate, count and where possible, identify bacteria recovered from the study classrooms.
The results
The statistics from the study speak for themselves. The difference in total bacterial counts between the two classrooms was 95.68%. A comparison of the average number of bacteria recovered from all BioCote-treated products with all corresponding products in the control classroom revealed almost 96% less bacterial contamination in the antimicrobial classroom.
Dp-BioCote Quartz is ideal for furniture manufacture and fit-out. The laminated furniture board has applications in market areas such as hospitals, health centres, schools, care homes, student accommodation and of course office and contract furniture.
These markets would not only benefit from the antibacterial resistant properties but also its high abrasion that far exceeds that of standard high pressure worktops.
The dp-BioCote Quartz range features six decors, three woodgrains and three unicolours. These are available across the company’s extensive range of substrate materials including chipboard, MDF, dp-lite hollowcore board and plywood.
For access to full technical reports and performance criteria, contact the company.
T 01484 658341
