PVA waste could help combat infections

Researchers at the university’s Department of Chemistry have discovered a way of transforming the chemical compound polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) – a key element of LCD television sets – into an anti-microbial substance that destroys infections such as Escherichia coli (E.coli) and some strains of Staphylococcus aureus.

The York research team had previously found a method of recovering PVA from television screens and transforming it into a substance that, owing to its compatibility with the human body, could be suitable for use in tissue scaffolds that help parts of the body regenerate. It could also be used in pills and dressings that are designed to deliver drugs to particular parts of the body.

Dr Andrew Hunt of the York Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence said: ’By heating then cooling the PVA and then dehydrating it with ethanol, we can produce a high-surface-area mesoporous material that has great potential for use in biomedicine.

’Now we have gone a step further by enhancing its anti-microbial properties through the addition of silver nanoparticles, with the result being that it can destroy bacterial infections such as E.coli. Potentially, it could be used in hospital cleaning products to help to reduce infections.’