Cooperation with UNIRUBBER
UNIRUBBER Ltd. is an industry leader in the production of utility surfaces for outdoor and indoor applications. It has been operating in the market for more than 30 years. Rubber granules produced at the company are distributed worldwide, with direct production going to 23 European countries, the United States and the Eastern Wall. Unirubber's cooperation with its 'sister' companies, which manufacture the components that make up artificial sports surfaces, under a holding company, provides the opportunity to significantly expand the organization's reach and comprehensively meet customer expectations. As a company that is one of the world's leading players in the continuous improvement of sports and recreational spaces, using advanced and constantly developing laboratory infrastructure, it reduces the environmental impact in its products. The company's product range primarily includes granules from primary production, so-called "virgin", and granules from recycled rubber technical waste. It engages the best specialists and technologies to meet the expectations of customers and business partners.
This time, through cooperation with specialists from the University of Lodz, Dr. Sylwia Różalska, Prof. of the University of Lodz, and Dr. Aleksandra Budzyńska, as well as Biotechnology students: Katarzyna Prochoń and Mikołaj Cybulski, from the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection – the researchers verified antimicrobial of surfaces. The inhibition of bacterial and fungal growth on these surfaces may limit that adversely effects on these microbs onthe health of users of sports and recreational facilities, including playgrounds, where the safety and health of the youngest is most important.
The cooperation with the researchers of the Department of EIA is very fruitful and is an example of finding a common language between entrepreneurs and scientists, to the benefit of the safety of the end users - all of us.
adds Mr. Marcin Marczak - Technical and Development Director of UNIRUBBER.
The project and its results
Microbiologists from the Department of Biology and Environmental Protection proposed a research plan to test whether the materials developed by the company have antimicrobial activity, particularly against bacteria and fungi that cause infections in humans. In addition, antifungal activity was examined against microscopic fungi that cause or aggravate allergies. The first stage of the research was carried out under the Science Hub U project.
Collaboration continues
After discussing the results of the research with the director of technical affairs and development of UNIRUBBER Ltd., Mr. Marcin Marczak, weit was decided to continue cooperation in an additional research task conducted with the participation of the University of Lodz Foundation. The research will be completed in October this year. They will result not only in research results that will directly affect social security and respond to the company's need, but also in a research internship that Mr. Marcin Marczak completed at the Institute of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Immunology at the University of Lodz. A joint publication is in the pipeline, and the research will continue as part of further cooperation, after which, as the company's representative Mr. Marcin Marczak declares, "The company plans to commercialize the material with confirmed antimicrobial properties."
About the projects:
The projectS have been implemented as part of Science Hub UŁ – a university-wide cooperation platform aimed at initiating and supporting the implementation of applied student projects, in cooperation with external entities.
Project title : Assessment of the antibacterial properties of ecological recreational and sports surfaces
Supervisor: dr Aleksandra Budzyńska, Laboratorium Usług Mikrobiologiczno-Technicznych
Student: Mikołaj Cybulski, Biotechnologia medyczna
Partner: UNIRUBBER sp. z o.o.
Project description: UNIRUBBER sp. z o.o. continuously improves sports and leisure spaces and reduces the environmental impact in its products. It engages the best specialists and technologies to meet the expectations of its customers and business partners. This time, through cooperation with a specialist from the University of Łódź, the company intends to have its products tested for their antimicrobial properties - inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria. The aim of the project is to address the problems described and to investigate the antimicrobial action of flooring for sports and leisure purposes.
Project title: Antifungal properties of ecological recreational and sports surfaces - protection against infectious and environmental pathogens
Supervisor: dr hab. Sylwia Różalska, prof. UŁ, Katedra Mikrobiologii Przemysłowej i Biotechnologii
Student: Katarzyna Prochoń
Partner: UNIRUBBER Sp. z o.o.
Project description: UNIRUBBER sp. z o.o. continuously improves sports and leisure spaces and reduces the environmental impact in its products. It engages the best specialists and technologies to meet the expectations of its customers and business partners. Through cooperation with specialists from the University of Lodz, the company intends to have its products tested for antimicrobial properties in terms of inhibiting the growth of fungi (in particular allergenic and toxigenic filamentous fungi and pathogenic yeasts).
Material: Project teams
Edit: Science Hub