New polymer £5 notes are three times cleaner and hold less bacteria, scientists have found
THE new five pound note is three times cleaner than the old paper version, which is among the dirtiest notes in Europe.
Scientists discovered that less bacteria sticks to the polymer notes, which were introduced in the UK in September.
They spent ten years testing money and found that the new fiver harbours less germs than cotton, cotton-linen and washi paper-based notes because the plastic kills off bacteria quicker.
Professor Frank Vrieskoop, who led the research at Harper Adams University in Shropshire, said: We found that bacteria found on human hands are less capable of sticking to plastic banknotes compared to the old cotton-based UK pound notes; the linen-cotton mix based American dollar notes; and the washi paper based Japanese Yen notes.
"In addition, bacteria found on human hands die-off faster when on plastic banknotes.
"Older banknotes carry more bacteria compared to new polymer ones and in addition it was interesting to see that there was a general trend that the richer a nation, the cleaner its currency."
The researchers also tested coins, which are carry germs but are actually toxic to some bacteria because of what they’re made of.
He added: “We found that coins also carry bacteria but many coins are actually toxic to bacteria.
"The composition of the coin influences the magnitude of its 'coin toxicity'.
"Despite coins being toxic, bacteria can adapt to a toxic environment.
"For this reason, there was still bacteria present on coins which we took out of circulation and tested."
The researchers discovered the link after wondering why their results showed very low bacteria levels compared to previous studies.
It turned out that other studies testing money for bacteria were using paper notes – but Professor Vrieskoop found a study in Australia that also used plastic bank notes and had low germ levels.
He said: “We started on banknotes as they appeared to be the easiest.
"When we did the first trial, we got results but they were so low they didn't compare at all to the previous studies.
"I contacted a colleague in Australia and she got almost the same results as we did.
"Then it dawned on me that we were using plastic money and all the published results were on cotton money.
"I got colleagues in other countries involved and it just snowballed from there.
"Currently more than 30 countries are using the 'cleaner' plastic notes, now including the UK.
"Cotton-linen notes are only used in America and washi is only in Japan."
Researchers also found in a separate study that drugs are traceable on paper notes within weeks of circulation – with 99 per cent of notes testing positive for cocaine.
The notes, which bear a portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, are 15 per cent smaller than the paper notes they are replacing and are said to last more than twice as long.
A smaller plastic £10 note featuring novelist Jane Austen will go into circulation next summer and a £20 polymer note, featuring the artist JMW Turner, is due by 2020.
The new five pound note has recently sparked a huge row after it emerged they contain animal fat.
The note uses tallow, a hard, fatty substance from suet, which is hard fat around the animal’s kidneys, stomach and other organs.
It is less than one per cent of the note and is found in several other types of products, including make up, plastic bags and candles.
Hindu temples have banned the note and the Bank of England is currently looking into solutions after an online protest from vegans, vegetarians, Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.
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