Abstract
The presence of mold is a serious problem in different environments as industrial, agricultural, hospital and household, especially for human health. Large quantities of mold spores can potentially cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Therefore, it is essential to keep buildings free of fungi without harming human health and the environment. Here, we pose a composite of modified bentonite clay and ZnO nanoparticles as an alternative antifungal preservative. The new composite is obtained by an easy and eco-friendly method based on a dry nanodispersion, without altering the properties of each material. The antifungal test reveals a robust response against fungi thanks to the ZnO nanoparticles’ contribution. Our results reveal that the antifungal activity of ZnO/clay composite is governed by both a uniform distribution and an adequate concentration of the ZnO nanoparticles onto the clay surface. Specifically, we find that for concentration below 10 wt.% of the ZnO nanoparticles, the nanoparticles are well dispersed onto clay giving rise to an excellent antifungal response. By contrast, when the concentration of ZnO increases, the formation of ZnO agglomerates onto the clay surface is favored. This effect provokes that antifungal behavior changes towards a more moderate improvement. Finally, we have demonstrated that this composite can be used as a promising paint preservative for antifungal applications.
Highlights
Fungicide use is extensive in different environments such as industrial, agricultural, hospital and household
We have developed a method for the controlled dispersion of ZnO nanoparticles on paint additive through a cooperative assembly-directed process at room temperature
The particle size of the micrometric ZnO is modified by a chemical process and the obtained material is thermally treated at 500 ◦ C for a short time, 5 min, in the air. (The reader can find more information about the ZnO synthesis in the Material and Methods section) The obtained
Summary
Fungicide use is extensive in different environments such as industrial, agricultural, hospital and household. Sci. 2020, 10, 1322 mildews that attack painted surfaces, control of slime in paper pulps to the protection of carpet and fabrics in the home, among others [1]. Many countries have been withdrawn some of the inorganic metallic fungicides, especially mercurous compounds, due to their high toxicity and adverse environmental effects [3]. This fact does focus on inorganic fungicides and organic fungicides are under review. Vinclozolin has been removed from use for damage to human health and several fungicides are known to cause developmental toxicity and oncogenesis [2,4]
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