Killer cotton eradicates microbes using ordinary white light

Researchers at Universitat Politècnica de València developed a cotton fabric with methylene blue and rose bengal dyes that inactivates bacteria and fungi under ordinary white light. In 12 patient rooms the fabric accumulated 75% fewer microorganisms than regular cotton and retained its effect after 20 wash cycles.

• E. coli fully inactivated within 60 minutes, E. faecalis within 20 minutes
• In hospital rooms the fabric accumulated 75% fewer microbes than regular cotton
• Without direct light the reduction was only 25%; gram-positive bacteria fell 77.5%
• Antimicrobial effect largely retained after 20 wash cycles