Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona IMB-CNM-CSIC, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
Kristina Ivanova
Group of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Terrassa, 08222 Barcelona, Spain
María Díaz-González
Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona IMB-CNM-CSIC, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
Yasmine Alonso
Departament de Química Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
Gonzalo Guirado
Departament de Química Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
Tzanko Tzanov
Group of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Terrassa, 08222 Barcelona, Spain
Xavier Muñoz-Berbel
Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona IMB-CNM-CSIC, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
A smart textile for live bacteria detection of antimicrobial hospital tissues is here proposed. The capacity to detect viable bacteria is based on the use of Prussian Blue (PB) as electrochromic compound, with a clear reversible change of colour from PB to Prussian White (PW) after reduction from a bacterial metabolism process. PB nanoparticles are incorporated to polyester cotton fabrics by ultrasonic deposition. After performing different tests with bacterial samples of E. coli and S. aureus, a full colour change of the textiles was observed. These smart textiles will allow to determine the self-life of the antibacterial compounds as well to improve the control of hospital infections.
