NANO-PROTECT · Antimicrobial nano-coatings for hospital textiles to prevent the spread of healthcare associated infections

Antimicrobial nano-coatings for hospital textiles to prevent the spread of healthcare associated infections

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) represent a critical public health challenge in Europe, affecting approximately 3.8 million patients annually in EU/EEA acute care hospitals and causing an estimated 90,000 deaths. Six major HCAIs alone impose healthcare costs of €13-24 billion annually on European health systems. Hospital textiles—including bed linens, surgical gowns, privacy curtains, and patient clothing—serve as significant vectors for pathogen transmission, yet current antimicrobial textile solutions suffer from three fundamental limitations: poor washing durability (typically 10-20 cycles), potential toxicity due to agent leaching, and reliance on energy-intensive manufacturing processes. Compounding this challenge, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens to become one of the leading causes of death globally, with projections estimating 10 million annual deaths by 2050 if current trends continue. Conventional antimicrobial agents used in textiles often accelerate resistance development, creating a vicious cycle that undermines infection control efforts. The NANO-PROTECT project addressed these interconnected challenges by developing next-generation antimicrobial textile coatings that combine effectiveness, durability, safety, and sustainability. The project's overarching objective was to create industrially scalable coating technologies that could significantly reduce HCAI transmission in healthcare settings whilst minimizing antimicrobial resistance development. Strategic Alignment with EU Priorities: The project directly supports multiple European policy frameworks: 1. European Health Union objectives on HCAI prevention and patient safety 2. EU Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance through development of responsible antimicrobial approaches 3. European Green Deal through sustainable manufacturing and circular economy principles 4. European industrial strategy for advanced manufacturing and high-value textile production Specific Objectives: 1. Develop novel antimicrobial nanoparticles with multiple modes of action (bactericidal, anti-biofilm, anti-virulence) to prevent resistance development 2. Create sustainable coating technologies using bio-based materials and green chemistry principles 3. Demonstrate industrial scalability through pilot-scale manufacturing 4. Ensure safety through comprehensive biocompatibility assessment 5. Validate performance through rigorous antimicrobial testing including washing durability Expected Impact: The project pathway to impact encompasses three dimensions: 1. Scientific Impact: Advance the state-of-the-art in antimicrobial materials by demonstrating that multi-mechanism nanoparticle systems can dramatically reduce bacterial resistance development compared to conventional antimicrobial agents, whilst achieving superior washing durability through innovative coating chemistries. 2. Economic and Industrial Impact: Bridge the laboratory-to-industry gap by validating coating technologies at pilot scale, enabling European textile manufacturers to adopt advanced antimicrobial functionalization processes. The projected market for antimicrobial medical textiles within the broader €19.2 billion global medical textile market (2027 projection) represents significant economic opportunities for European industry. 3. Societal Impact: Contribute to improved patient safety and reduced healthcare costs through effective infection prevention. Even modest reductions in HCAI rates could save thousands of lives and hundreds of millions of euros annually across European healthcare systems. The demonstrated minimal resistance development potential addresses the long-term sustainability challenge, ensuring that antimicrobial textiles remain effective tools for infection control rather than contributing to the AMR crisis. The project's emphasis on bio-based materials (lignin from paper/pulp industry waste, chitosan from crustacean shell waste) and energy-efficient manufacturing processes (room-temperature coating, waterborne formulations) exemplifies sustainable innovation that balances efficacy with environmental responsibility—a critical consideration as healthcare sectors worldwide work to reduce their environmental footprints whilst maintaining high safety standards. By successfully demonstrating that responsible antimicrobial textiles can be manufactured at industrial scale with exceptional performance characteristics, NANO-PROTECT establishes a foundation for widespread adoption in healthcare facilities throughout Europe and beyond, contributing to resilient healthcare systems capable of maintaining high infection control standards even during periods of increased demand such as pandemic scenarios.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз