Paint manufacturer Caparol has announced a new interior paint product with anti-microbial properties that that it says uses silver ions to bind and destroy the cell membrane of biological contaminants, including bacteria and viruses.
Caparol Arabia, the UAE arm of the German paints multinational, claims its ‘CapaCare Protect’ is “an innovative and sustainable solution that provides better protection against harmful micro-organisms”. The new solution, which contains the company’s patented and advanced ‘SILVERbac’ technology, is said to secure walls and surfaces from bio-harm.
Martin Rosocha, MD, Caparol Arabia, said: “We’ve all seen the Superman films or read the comic books where he comes up against kryptonite and is severely weakened. Well, to harmful microbes like bacteria and viruses, silver is their kryptonite. It damages them, it destroys them, it helps to defeat them. That’s why we are so keen to introduce this new paint for schools, hospitals, hotels and renovation and facility management sectors, to protect their homes and defend the walls.”
According to a statement by Caparol, ‘SILVERbac’ has been extensively tested through an International Antimicrobial Council accredited laboratory to ensure the highest quality in antimicrobial testing. The company reported a kill rate of over 99% in the first 24 hours.
“We have been testing CapaCare Protect paint specifically for its antimicrobial effect, which helps to keep the walls free of microbes and harmful germs. This technology is already used in many hospitals, demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing one of the many factors contributing to the spread of contagious diseases,” said Mowaffaq Balish, commercial director, Caparol Arabia.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Caparol Arabia says it has launched further testing to check its antimicrobial paint effectiveness at reducing the spread. However, the antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties of silver ions and silver compounds have been extensively studied for years.
“A silver nanoparticle is less than 100 nanometres wide – it’s so small you’d need over 600 of them to coat the very tip of a single human hair. These tiny silver ions prevent DNA replication of bacteria and viruses and attack the structure and permeability of the cell membrane. Hence, killing these harmful microbes,” said Caparol’s statement.
“Silver ions are already being used in the fight against coronavirus too. In Dubai, a range of techniques have been employed including steam cleaning and disinfectant fogging, while treatment with silver ions has been deployed on the streets in Italy.”
The statement added that CapaCare Protect has been specifically manufactured to create an all-round healthier environment. The product is also zero-smell and zero-VOC (volatile organic compounds), which ensures the air quality is healthy and non-toxic.
