Antimicrobial Efficacy of a Vegetable Oil Plasticizer in PVC Matrices

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Infectious Disease Control
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• The rise of bacterial and viral infections necessitates novel antimicrobial solutions.
• Existing antimicrobial strategies face challenges in efficacy and sustainability.
• The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for effective surface disinfection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel fatty acid epoxy-ester plasticizer, GDE, with antimicrobial properties.
• To evaluate GDE's efficacy against enveloped and nonenveloped viruses and bacteria.
• To assess GDE's potential as a sustainable antimicrobial agent for various settings.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of the GDE plasticizer.
• Antimicrobial efficacy testing against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), HCoV-OC43, human adenovirus (HAdV), Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli.
• Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to analyze viral structural damage.

Main Results:

• GDE demonstrated effective inactivation of enveloped viruses (HSV-1, HCoV-OC43) but not nonenveloped viruses (HAdV).
• TEM analysis revealed structural damage to HSV-1 virions upon GDE exposure, suggesting envelope disruption.
• GDE exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.
• GDE improved the heat stability of PVC-based matrices.

Conclusions:

• GDE is a sustainable, user-friendly plasticizer with significant potential as an antimicrobial agent.
• Its ability to inactivate enveloped viruses and bacteria makes it suitable for high-touch surfaces.
• GDE offers a promising strategy for reducing infection transmission in community and healthcare environments.