Durable antimicrobial coatings for hospital sink surfaces using hydrophobized TEMPO-oxidised cellulose nanofibre Pickering emulsions

) reductions in the viable counts of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Among the agents with promising performance, benzisothiazolinone (BIT) localised as particulate inclusions within CNF matrices, and the coating conferred antimicrobial activity against multiple clinically relevant drug-resistant strains. Durability tests, including surfactant exposure and abrasion during cleaning, confirmed sustained antimicrobial performance after treatment. Under conditions simulating frequent water flow, the coating also exhibited superior antimicrobial performance compared with selected commercial coatings. Overall, this environmentally benign and easy-to-apply coating offers a promising strategy for mitigating antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in water-associated environments and demonstrates strong potential for practical infection-control applications.