Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via Fontana Candida 1, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Anna Maria Marcelloni
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via Fontana Candida 1, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Anna Rita Proietto
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via Fontana Candida 1, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Alessandra Chiominto
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via Fontana Candida 1, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Ilaria Amori
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via Fontana Candida 1, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Annalisa Bargellini
Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy
Isabella Marchesi
Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy
Giuseppina Frezza
Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy
Francesco Lipani
Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy
Claudio Cermelli
Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy
Angelo Rossini
Medical Services, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
Marino Quaresimin
Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padova, Stradella S. Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
Michele Zappalorto
Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padova, Stradella S. Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
Alessandro Pontefisso
Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padova, Stradella S. Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
Matteo Pastrello
Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padova, Stradella S. Nicola 3, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
Daniele Rossetto
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
Michele Modesti
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
Paolo Sgarbossa
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
Roberta Bertani
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
In our continuing search for new polymer composites with antimicrobial activity, we observed that even unmodified epoxy resins exhibit significant activity. Considering their widespread use as starting materials for the realization of multifunctional nanocomposites with excellent chemical and mechanical properties, it was deemed relevant to uncover these unexpected properties that can lead to novel applications. In fact, in places where the contact with human activities makes working surfaces susceptible to microbial contamination, thus jeopardizing the sterility of the environment, their biological activity opens the way to their successful application in minimizing healthcare-associated infections. To this end, three commercial and widely used epoxy resins (DGEBA/Elan-TechW 152LR, 1; EPIKOTETM Resin MGS®/EPIKURETM RIM H 235, 2 and MC152/EW101, 3) have been investigated to determine their antibacterial and antiviral activity. After 24 h, according to ISO 22196:2011, resins 1 and 2 showed a high antibacterial efficacy (R value > 6.0 log reduction) against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Resin 2, prepared according to the ratio epoxy/hardener indicated by the supplier (sample 2a) and with 10% w/w hardener excess (sample 2b), exhibited an intriguing virucidal activity against Herpes Simplex Virus type-1 and Human Coronavirus type V-OC43 as a surrogate of SARS-CoV-2.
