Nippon Paint says its new VirusGuard+ paint can destroy human coronaviruses - here's what it actually does, Business Insider - Business Insider Singapore

The world is in the middle of a global pandemic, and for many people, germs and bacteria have become the number one enemy in everyday life.

Now, a Singapore-based paint maker has released what it calls an “ultra-premium” paint with antimicrobial properties that can supposedly destroy viruses and bacteria on walls.

Dubbed the first of its kind in Singapore, the VirusGuard+ paint by Nippon Paint (Singapore) – an affiliate of Nippon Paint in Japan – is said to be a highly resistant to stains and is low in volatile organic compounds.

Formulated with copper ion technology, the paint can destroy viruses and bacteria on walls via “contact killing”, Nippon Paint said in a statement. According to the company, this works through the encapsulation of the most active antimicrobial state of copper found in the paint.

“The encapsulated copper ions work to destroy the capsid protein layer and fragment the genetic material in viruses to mitigate its multiplication. This effectively works by preserving the paint’s integrity, while also reducing pathogens on the painted walls,” it said.

These antimicrobial properties last as long as there is no chipping or scratches on the painted surface.

According to Nippon Paint, tests conducted earlier this year by a third-party laboratory found that the paint can completely inactivate human coronavirus commonly linked to cold symptoms and upper respiratory tract infections.

It can also kill norovirus and harmful common bacteria including staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and pseudomonas aeruginosa, the company added.

However, the company told Business Insider that labs are at this time unable to test its new formula against a specific strain of virus, such as SARS-COV-2, at this time.

In spite of that, the lab was able to test and confirm that the formula works against the human coronavirus strain 229E, which is similar in structure and genetics to SARS-CoV-2, it said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US, 229E is a common human coronavirus that infects people around the world. It is known as the virus that causes the common cold.

“As the viruses are similar in structure, we believe that the efficacy of the paint will likely be similar between different strains of human coronaviruses,” Nippon Paint said.

The new range, which can be used on interiors, will be available for pre-order from mid-June and made available through the Nippon Paint online store on June 19.

It will come in 23 matte finish colours at a price of S$180 for 5 litres.

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