Written By: Satata Karmakar | Updated : November 13, 2020 9:23 AM IST
देश में अचानक बढ़ने लगे कोरोना के मामले, सिर्फ 2 दिन में हुई 50% की वृद्धि
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have developed a special type of cotton face mask that kills up to 99.9999 per cent of bacteria and viruses within 60 minutes of daylight exposure.
The study stated that the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has left many people to become accustomed to wearing cotton face masks in public places. But, viruses and bacteria that stick to the mask could be transferred elsewhere when the wearer removes or touches it.
"Face masks made of various cloth materials can filter nanoscale aerosol particles -- such as those released by a cough or sneeze -- potentially helping to reduce the spread of diseases, including COVID-19," said the researchers from the University ofCalifornia, Davis in the US.
But these live bacteria and viruses on the surface of the mask could still be contagious.
Face masks that can be disinfected by daylight exposure
The research team wanted to develop a new cotton fabric that would release reactive oxygen species (ROS) when exposed to daylight, killing microbes attached to the fabric's surfaces while being washable, reusable, and safe for the wearer.
Then, a person could disinfect their cloth mask during their lunch hour outside in the sun, or by spending a longer period of time under office or building lights, which are much less intense than sunlight.
The researchers made their antimicrobial fabrics by attaching positively charged chains of 2-diethylaminoethyl chloride (DEAE-Cl) to ordinary cotton.
Then, they dyed the modified cotton in a solution of a negatively charged photosensitizer (a compound that releases ROS upon exposure to light), which is attached to the DEAE chains by strong electrostatic interactions.
Fabric made with a dye called rose Bengal killed 99.9999% of bacteria
The team found that a fabric made with a dye called rose Bengal as the photosensitizer killed 99.9999 per cent of bacteria added to the fabric within 60 minutes of daylight exposure and inactivated 99.9999 per cent of T7 bacteriophage -- a virus thought to be more resistant to ROS than some coronaviruses -- within 30 minutes.
Further testing showed that the material could be hand-washed at least 10 times and constantly exposed to daylight for at least seven days without losing its antimicrobial activity.
The fabric shows promise for making reusable, antibacterial/antiviral cloth face masks and protective suits, the researchers noted.
COVID-19 caseload in India climbs to 86,83,916
India saw a single-day increase of 47,905 infections taking the country's COVID-19 caseload to 86,83,916, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 80,66,501.
A total of 1,28,121 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 45,560 from Maharashtra followed by 11,453 from Karnataka, 11,415 from Tamil Nadu, 7,452 from West Bengal, 7,281 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,228 from Delhi, 6,828 from Andhra Pradesh, 4,389 from Punjab and 3,776 from Gujarat.
(With inputs from Agencies)
