American Seating will begin applying antimicrobial coating to all high-touch surfaces of its seating and securement solutions starting June 29. The coating treatment will be applied to American Seating products prior to shipment.

The company has selected Aegis Microbe Shield, an EPA-registered surface coating that provides an invisible barrier to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew, with continuous protection for one year. Aegis bonds to the surface and creates an environment that prevents organisms from attaching and thriving on treated surfaces.

For reapplication or application to existing transit vehicles, American Seating also is offering five-gallon containers of ready-to-use Aegis Microbe Shield.

The antimicrobial coating will keep American Seating products cleaner, fresher, and even lengthen durability longer than other untreated solutions on the market. The coating also will make seats easier to clean and improve cleanliness between cleanings.

Aegis Microbe Shield forms a protective coating that molecularly bonds with surfaces upon application. Bacteria are attracted to the coating’s positive charge, and, upon coming into contact with the treated surface, they quickly die.

When applied to surfaces, Aegis forms a colorless, odorless, positively charged polymer that attracts, then electrocutes and ruptures, a microbe’s negatively charged cell membrane. Aegis inhibits the growth of microbes on surfaces by utilizing a charge-disruption mode of action.

Aegis is attracted to the microbe’s cell wall and neutralizes the cell wall’s natural protection by interacting with cellular proteins needed to maintain cell wall integrity. Its charge-disruption mode of action leads to the eventual breakdown of the microbial cell (also known as lysis), eliminating odor, stains, and deterioration.

Aegis is not a disinfectant but rather a nanoscopic biostatic surface protectant that protects surfaces between cleaning. Its use complements daily disinfection and only needs to be applied once a year.