Finnish airport operator Finavia has begun using Nanoksi Finland’s antimicrobial coating solution at Helsinki Airport.
“This nanotechnology-based coating, which is sprayed on contact surfaces and furniture, destroys pathogens with the help of light and air,” said Sami Kiiskinen, vice president, airport development for Helsinki Airport.
The coating uses photocatalysis, the process in which light energy is used to drive pairs of chemical reactions to destroy 98% of pathogens in two hours. Confirmed by research at the University of Tampere, Finalnd, the Nanoksi solution has been tested at the airport since early summer. The coating is sprayed on targets such as check-in counters, machines, departure gates and toilet facilities and is designed to last even when wiped several times a day.
The new coating technology is intended to build confidence among international passengers, who may see hygiene as a reason for choosing a particular airport for their journey.
Kiiskinen said, “When we learned about Covid-19 in January 2020, we started carrying out enhanced cleaning and disinfection. For example, we have introduced a security control tray cleaning device with LED lighting technology.”
In addition to cleaning and disinfection, Finavia aims to reduce physical contact in customer service situations. Examples of this include automatic doors, license plate recognition for parking and contactless passport readers.