title: Biocide activity of microfiber mops with and without silver after contamination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present research was to compare the residual microbial load in Solo System microfiber mops with silver and in normal microfiber mops without silver to see whether those with the silver prevent bacterial proliferation and spread more effectively during normal cleaning operations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mops with and without silver were experimentally contaminated with suspension of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538. The bioburden was evaluated by a filtering procedure according to UNI EN 1174 after contamination, after washing and after different times of impregnation in an alcohol-base detergent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained lead to the conclusion that silver microfiber mop was significantly more effective in reducing bacterial load despite initial high level contamination (10⁶-10⁷ CFU/50 cm²). Indeed, after low temperature washing, the bacterial load was already completely eliminated while the mop without silver still presented relatively high levels of the microorganism (approximately 10² CFU/50 cm²) even after being soaked for 8 hours in a detergent/disinfectant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Evolution, Università di Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Sonia De
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lorenzi
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romanini
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Finzi
authors.forename: Germano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salvatorelli
mesh_terms: D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000187:drug effects*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003902:Detergents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D006797:Housekeeping, Hospital / Q000379:methods*; D012834:Silver; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003902:Detergents; D012834:Silver