Further Support in the form of detailed imaging information: The Nano Imaging Lab is a popular destina- Nano Imaging Lab https://nanoscience.unibas.ch/ tion for high-school diploma projects en/services/nano-imaging-lab/ Matura theses The work of the Nano Imaging Lab team provides numerous https://nanoscience.unibas.ch/ en/services/nano-imaging-lab/ companies and research groups with valuable information as well publikationen/internships/ as support for wide-ranging research projects. A few times a year, however, high-school students have the chance to explore inter- esting research questions with the help of sta昀昀 from the NI Lab. In 2023, four Matura students worked on investigations at the lab as part of their high-school diploma projects. It all depends on the material As part of his high-school diploma (Matura) Antoine Schneider from Gymnasium Liestal project, Schneider examined two approved completed a project in which he investigated disinfectants and found that the wipe test whether the results of the standardized wipe doesn’t always ensure the elimination of test could be applied to other materials. This microorganisms on other materials used in test is required in Switzerland and the EU for operating rooms. With support from Profes- the approval of bactericidal surface disinfec- sor Marek Basler’s team at the Biozentrum, tants. Schneider used quantitative microbiological methods to show that the tested agents suf- Surface disinfection plays a key role in 昀椀ciently disinfected stainless steel and a PVC curtailing infections that are contracted by 昀氀ooring material in a wipe test and that the patients during medical treatment. Before a materials exhibited bactericidal properties new disinfectant is approved, its disinfectant even without being treated. In contrast, a properties are tested in a standardized wipe high-pressure laminate that the researchers test on a PVC surface. investigated did not meet the requirements. Scanning electron microscope images of standard PVC, high-pressure laminate (HPL), stainless steel and PVC 昀氀ooring reveal the different surface structures of the various materials. (Image: A. Schneider and Nano Imaging Lab, SNI, University of Basel) 22 SNI INSight December 2023