Preparation of Antibacterial Sand with Natural Plant Extracts and Zeolite and Its Antibacterial Effects

Demand for sand playgrounds that can help children's emotional development is gradually increasing due to the harmfulness of synthetic rubber flooring used in children's playgrounds and controversy over environmental pollution. However, in the case of children's playground sand, safety risks are high when the human body is exposed to harmful heavy metals and germs for a long time. The purpose of this research is to manufacture antibacterial sand mixed with natural plant extracts as a natural antibacterial agent based on zeolite to prevent infection with harmful bacteria that can be transmitted through direct or indirect contact in sand in children's play spaces, It is to evaluate the antibacterial effect and safety from bacteria. Antibacterial sand was prepared by mixing zeolite balls molded, dried, and calcined with natural plant extracts and then dried. citric acid, soleus fruit extract and cinnamon extract were used as natural plant extracts. Antibacterial sand prepared at a weight mixing ratio of 1:1 of natural plant extracts (citric acid 50 %, soleus fruit extract 25 %, cinnamon extract 25 %) and zeolite was immersed in citric acid to increase the sand weight by 15 % and 20~25 %. In both cases, as a result of measuring the change in the number of Escherichia coli (EC) KCTC and Staphylococcus aureus (SA) KCTC, the antimicrobial activity was 99.9 %. In addition, as a result of measuring the change in the number of Escherichia coli (EC) KCTC and Staphylococcus aureus (SA) KCTC after leaving the antimicrobial sand prepared at a weight mixing ratio of 1:1 of natural plant extract and zeolite outdoors for 80 days, it was confirmed that some antibacterial activity remained. Therefore, antibacterial sand is expected to be applicable to various fields using sand as well as providing a safe and eco-friendly sand play space by preventing infection with harmful bacteria and viruses such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.