Biofouling results in substantial impairment of printing processes and work hygiene in offset printing: In particular fountain solutions containing little or no alcohol provide ideal growing conditions for microorganisms. Growth of microorganisms in fountain solution circuits cannot be prevented despite technical measures commonly applied.

The wfk-Cleaning Technology Institute e.V. developed in cooperation with the Fogra Institute e.V. a process for the need-oriented preservation of fountain solutions and thus the avoidance of biofouling in offset printing.

In order to keep the microbial contamination of the fountain solution circuit below a threshold concentration and thus to avoid impairment of the printing process, enzymatically activatable antimicrobial systems were developed consisting of a network of covalently bound cell lysing substances.

Such networks can be easily integrated in the fountain solution reservoir of printing machines before the respective filter units.

The research report is available on request from FRT.