Toagosei Annual R&D Report “TREND” – Inaugural Issue

In recent years, there has been a growing trend toward cleanliness, especially among the younger generation. Inaddition, serious social proble ms such as nosocomial infections caused by MRSA, food poisoning caused by pathogenic E. coliO-157, and Legionella pneumophila causing pneumonia, which became a problem with 24-hour baths, have resulted in an everincreasing demand for antimicrobial products.

We developed the silver-based inorganic antimicrobial agent “NOVARON” and launched it in 1993. NOVARON comes as uniform, fine particles, and it is used in a wide range of applications because of its superiority in terms of good processability into fibers and resins, and excellent discoloration resistance, etc. This article covers the definition and classification of antimicrobial agents, the antimicrobial mechanisms and applications of NOVARON, and industry initiatives for antimicrobial products.