Mixtures of phenolic and inorganic materials with antimicrobial activity

A mixture of antimicrobial agents for plastics applications which comprises

• a) at least one phenolic antimicrobial compound, and
• b) at least one inorganic antimicrobial compound,
• wherein
• the phenolic antimicrobial compound is of the formula (I)
• 4
• wherein
• n is 0or 1,
• R1 and R2 are hydrogen or chlorine,
• R3 is hydrogen or hydroxyl,
• R4, R5 and R6 are hydrogen or chlorine,
• R7 is hydroxyl, and
• X is —O— or —CH2-,
• and wherein the inorganic antimicrobial compound is selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, copper and copper compounds, silver, colloidal silver, silver nitrate, silver sulphate, silver chloride, silver complexes, metal-containing zeolites and surface-modified metal-containing zeolites,
• wherein the ratio of components a):b) is from about 1:9 to about 9:1.