Everyday masks that are impregnated with phosphoric acid or copper salt could inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses when you exhale.
Evanston (U.S.A.). During the Covid-19 pandemic, mouth and nose masks are mainly worn to protect other people from being infected with SARS-CoV-2. Everyday masks made of cloth or paper not only hold back infectious droplets, but can also reduce the spread of aerosols, according to a recently published study. A general mask requirement in public therefore reduces new SARS-CoV-2 infections by more than 25 percent, according to a Canadian study.
Scientists at Northwestern University have now developed a new everyday mask with an even better protective effect. According to its publication in Matter magazine, the mask releases virus-inhibiting substances when you exhale, which are also supposed to kill SARS-CoV-2.
Everyday mask with antiviral substance
According to Haiyue Huang, “when an infectious respiratory disease breaks out, it is most effective to control the source of the infection in order to prevent the pathogen from spreading.” The scientists therefore came up with the idea of combining conventional everyday masks with antiviral substances in order to remove those that may be contained in droplets Inactivating viruses and reducing the risk of infection for people in the area.
Polyaniline enables loose bonding with phosphoric acid and copper salt
The basis of the new mask are layers of fabric that have been treated with polyaniline. In this way it is possible to achieve a loose bond with phosphoric acid and copper salt. Both substances have an antimicrobial effect. In addition, the scientists assumed that they are well suited for use in an everyday mask because the dry and cold air does not dissolve the substances when inhaled and they therefore do not get into the lungs. The warm and moist air you breathe is supposed to dissolve the copper salt and the phosphoric acid and thus inactivate infectious droplets.
In laboratory experiments, the researchers used a commercially available mask, which was supplemented by a coarse or fine-meshed cotton cloth with the antimicrobial substances. Measurements show that when simulated exhaling through this mask when using the dense fabric, 49 percent of the exiting droplets contained both acid and copper ions. When inhaling through the mask, on the other hand, no harmful amounts of the substances were dissolved.
Virus experiments pending
So far, the study results show that it is fundamentally possible to reduce the viral load in exhaled droplets by using a chemically treated mask. However, experiments with viruses still have to prove whether this really reduces the risk of infection. If the effect is confirmed, according to the scientists, the mask could above all help to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 by people with asymptomatic infections.
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