Antimicrobial Concrete

Antimicrobial Concrete

-By Biswajeet Majhi

1. INTRODUCTION

Concrete is the most widely used construction material for various infrastructures worldwide. However, concrete structures in specific aggressive environments, such as sewer systems, marine engineering, buildings are exposed to high humidity and they quickly suffer from microbial attachment, colonization, eventually, deterioration.  For example, the most typical problem reinforced concrete structures face in sewer systems is microbial-induced corrosion, which is still commonly referred to as a sulfide (H2S) gas problem. The process is initiated when sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) convert sulfate into hydrogen sulfide gas under anaerobic conditions, which is converted into corrosive sulfuric acid by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) of the genus Thiobacillus.

 

2. How does it help? 

In recent years, with the rapid development of nanotechnology, some researchers have tried to introduce some nanoparticles into concrete to inhibit microbial colonization. For example, the research undertaken by Singh et al. indicated that cement-ZnO composite possesses effective antibacterial and antifungal activities under dark and solar light due to the addition of ZnO nanopowder. Wang et al. demonstrated that high-performance concrete (HPC) incorporated with nano ZnO has antibacterial ability against E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Concrete fabricated with titanium dioxide nanoparticles has excellent potential in sterilization under the light. Ganji et al. found that cement with nano-TiO2 inhibits the growth of E. coli under UV irradiation.


 

3. Classification Of Antimicrobial Agent:

3.1. Inorganic Antimicrobial Agents

 Inorganic antimicrobial agents that have been reported to be applied in concrete include heavy metals (silver, nickel, tungsten), metal compounds (silver molybdate, copper oxide, zinc oxide), NORGANIX (a silicate concrete sealer), free nitrous acid (FNA), and nano inorganic antimicrobial materials. The antibacterial activity of metal or metal ions is in the order of: Ag > Hg > Cu > Cd > Cr > Ni > Pb > Co > Zn > Fe

3.2. Organic Antimicrobial Agents

Quats, phthalocyanine compound (including metal-organic antimicrobial agent copper phthalocyanine), calcium formate, alkyl nitro-bromide, isothiazolinone/carbamate, ConShield and ConBlock MIC are various organic antimicrobial agents used in concrete. 

 

 

3. Applications

I.  Antimicrobial concrete fabricated with copper phthalocyanine has the merits of excellent bactericidal performance, a high retention rate of bactericide and cost-effectiveness.

II.  The antimicrobial additive ConBlock MIC can be applied in new concrete infrastructure and cementitious infrastructure repair products.

III.  Concrete with TiO2 can be employed to control microbiological growth on concrete surfaces, thus enhancing the durability of concrete in ocean engineering.

IV. Antimicrobial concrete reinforced with fibre-carrying antimicrobial agents can protect concrete from biological attack.

 



 

 

 

 

 

  

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