Bank notes can spread diseases from one person to another, or could even be
deliberately contaminated by terrorists. So Textile Biocides of Philadelphia has
filed a world patent to address the problem (WO 99/42658). Its answer is to dose
the linen and cotton fibres of a note with polyhexamethylene biguanide, an
ingredient of contact lens cleaning solutions. The chemical is added to the mix
used to treat the note鈥檚 surface, where it will kill microorganisms, or at least
inhibit their growth. A bonus is that the treatment helps notes survive
laundering.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Technology
We should decide how AI shapes the future, not tech firms
Comment
Technology
Quantum voting could make elections more secure
News
Technology
DeepMind AI gives an extra day of warning ahead of deadly cyclones
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles