Plant-Based Pigments It Produces Prevent Bacterial Growth

Plant-Based Pigments Developed by Chemist Prevent Bacterial Growth Research has confirmed that pigments derived from plant waste by senior chemist Nuri İmeryüz in Sivas, when used to color interior paints and applied to surfaces, have an effectiveness of between 48.71 and 97.81 percent in preventing bacterial formation. İmeryüz, 39, completed his undergraduate studies in Chemistry at Sivas Cumhuriyet University (SCÜ) and earned his master's degree in Organic Chemistry from Tokat Gazi Osman Paşa University. İmeryüz continued his master's thesis work on "coloring interior and exterior facade paints with natural pigments" at the Cumhuriyet Technopark R&D laboratory operating under SCÜ, having received TRY 272,000 in grant support from KOSGEB in April 2021. Working with Prof. Dr. Adem Önal, İmeryüz obtained a national patent from the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. Through his R&D work, he produced entirely natural plant-based pigments from nine types of plant waste—including onion skins, walnut husks, and red cabbage—that are used to color interior and exterior facade paints and are harmless to human health and the environment.

İmeryüz noted that paint produced with plant-based pigments having antibacterial properties prevents bacterial formation in the environment, continuing as follows:

"Tests conducted in an antimicrobial accredited laboratory in Ankara in accordance with ISO 22196 standards have confirmed that the pigments we developed have 97.81 percent effectiveness in preventing the formation of escherichia coli bacteria and 48.71 percent effectiveness against staphylococcus aureus bacteria. These percentages increase as the pigment ratio in the paint increases. We believe that the plant-based pigments we have developed—a world first—can impart antibacterial activity not only to decorative paints but to most products to be colored with these materials. Currently, the paint industry achieves antibacterial products through silver ions, but our work represents the world's first achievement of this property through plant-based methods. We consider this a highly valuable study in terms of innovation for the paint industry."   Source