Scientists Invent Germ-Killing Plastic

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Scientists Invent Germ-Killing Plastic

Germs Unlikely To Develop Resistance

WASHINGTON, 10:04 a.m. EDT May 22, 2001 --

Imagine a coating that could be applied to almost any surface and make it permanently germ-free.

An MIT researcher says he's done exactly that.

Joerg Tiller says his coating -- a polymer -- can be applied to furniture, equipment, children's toys, countertops -- and kill 99 percent of several disease-causing organisms.

What's more, the bugs are not likely to develop resistance, because the coating works via a chemical reaction.

Tiller says the coating could be incorporated in the manufacturing process, so that many products could be permanently sterile.

Tiller and his colleagues hold a patent -- but so far, they're not involved in bringing the germ-killing technology to market.

The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press.

-- PHO (owennos@bigfoot.com), May 22, 2001


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