‘Soopuro Bio’ kills over 99% of viruses within 6 hours
Free of the four major hazardous heavy metals, and the first to earn the Ministry of Environment’s Eco-Label
KCC has developed ‘Soopuro Bio,’ an antiviral paint capable of combating a wide range of viruses and fungi, and has completed both eco-label certification and a patent application.
The product is a functional paint that incorporates a special inorganic antiviral agent to help maintain a clean and comfortable indoor environment. Viruses are generally known to survive for up to 96 hours in everyday living environments. However, when KCC Soopuro Bio is applied, more than 99% of the viruses adhering to the coated surface are killed within 6 hours—an effect confirmed through testing by a research team at Jeonbuk National University.
KCC had the antiviral performance of Soopuro Bio tested and verified through the Japanese research institute Q-Tech and a research team at Jeonbuk National University, obtaining test reports. The viruses used in the testing were bacteriophage and feline calicivirus, both of the non-enveloped type, along with Phi6 and Influenza A, both of the enveloped type. KCC Soopuro Bio was confirmed to have antiviral performance against both the non-enveloped and enveloped types used in the tests. In addition, its antibacterial and antifungal performance against bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, as well as against five types of mold including black mold, was verified by the FITI Testing & Research Institute.
According to a white paper by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the non-enveloped type has stronger resistance to antiviral agents than the enveloped type, so an antiviral agent effective against the non-enveloped type is reported to also be effective against the relatively less resistant enveloped type. COVID-19, the Ebola virus, and similar viruses belong to the enveloped category, like the Phi6 and Influenza A used in these tests.
Soopuro Bio is an eco-friendly product that not only offers excellent workability and appearance, but also emits almost no odor. Notably, it is the first antiviral paint product to earn the Ministry of Environment’s official Eco-Label (Environmental Labeling Certification). It contains none of the four major hazardous heavy metals—hexavalent chromium compounds, lead, cadmium, and mercury—and its volatile organic compound (VOC) content has been dramatically reduced. The Eco-Label is an eco-friendly certification system that selects and awards products that are excellent not only in environmental performance but also in quality and functionality.
KCC has also completed a patent application (application number 10-2020-0165464) for Soopuro Bio as a water-based paint featuring antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal performance. Unlike organic antiviral agents that contain hazardous substances such as isothiazoline and formaldehyde, Soopuro Bio—which uses a special inorganic antiviral agent—is harmless to the human body. It is also stable even at high temperatures and does not volatilize or leach, so its antiviral properties last for a long time. As a result, it offers excellent long-term durability and can deliver superior antiviral effects on a semi-permanent basis.