Antibacterial

Just like us, crop plants are subject to bacterial infections. And while antibiotics are often used to kill those microbes, compounds extracted from fly larva fat may prove to be a more eco-friendly alternative.

When bacteria colonize the surface of items such as medical implants, they form antibiotic-resistant coatings known as biofilms. Scientists have devised a new way of removing such films, and it involves magnetically steering augmented tea plant buds.

For some time now, bacteria-killing ozone gas has been used to help heal chronic wounds such as diabetic skin ulcers. Such treatment could soon be a lot more practical and effective, thanks to an experimental new wearable system.

Although it's vitally important to keep wounds free of harmful bacteria, antibacterial ointments have to be regularly reapplied, requiring bandages to be removed. A new wound dressing, however, is claimed to continuously kill bacteria all on its own.

If there's one place where you don't want viruses or harmful bacteria to be present, it's in hospitals, where people are already vulnerable. A new process could help, by allowing aluminum surfaces in such buildings to kill the bugs.

As if it's not enough that fresh produce may sometimes be tainted with bacteria, those microbes can get transferred onto other fruits and veggies, contaminating them too. A new coating, however, has been designed to keep the latter from happening.

We already knew that copper kills bacteria on contact, as it releases ions that rupture bacterial cell membranes. The material could soon do so faster than ever, however, thanks to a new laser-based surface treatment.

There's always a risk that implanted medical devices will get colonized with bacteria, causing infections and sometimes even needing to be removed. Such complications could soon be less likely, though, thanks to a new graphite nanoplatelet coating.

While we've already heard about light-activated germ-killing coatings, they generally require either ultraviolet or high-intensity light. A new one, however, works with regular low-intensity light, as might be found in offices or waiting rooms.

For many cavity-prone people, tooth-brushing often just isn't enough. It was with such folks in mind that a new mouthwash-based system was recently developed, which reportedly uses light to kill problematic bacteria.

Creative new treatments for superbugs are sorely needed, and now researchers at UCSD have developed a concept that’s just crazy enough to work – self-propelling “microvehicles” that lure bacteria into a trap, then kill them.

We've recently heard about a number of experimental antibacterial food-wrap films, that could replace conventional polyethylene. The latter does have some desirable qualities, though, so scientists have now developed a composite made from it.