Abstract
Antimicrobial viroblock/polyacrylonitrile nanofiber webs fabricated using the electrospinning method were assessed in terms of the antimicrobial activity against infectious agents as a potential material used in mask production. Viroblock (VB) is an amalgam of lipid vesicle and silver. Lipid vesicle depletes the virus outer membrane, which contains cholesterol, while silver ions penetrate the virus, interact with sulfur-bearing moieties, and possess the virus bactericidal property. VB, having anti-coronavirus and anti-influenza properties, was prepared in four different concentrations, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, 1.5 wt%, and 2 wt%, in regard to nanofiber weight. The resultant nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), water contact angle, water content, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Moreover, all nanofibrous samples were evaluated for cell proliferation assay and ATCC antibacterial tests. Based on characterization results and cytotoxicity, the developed composite nanofibers-based webs showed good promise for utilization in anti-viral masks. Particularly, 2 wt% VB/PAN nanofibers have the highest antibacterial properties against negative and positive bacteria along with excellent cell viability.
Highlights
The outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2 or COVID-19) in Wuhan in 2019 is a global health emergency with many cases of death and huge economic losses [1]
PAN electrospun analysis was used to the surfaceofmorphology of PAN electr nanofibers loaded with four different concentrations of VB
VB/PAN nanofibers were successfully fabricated with antiviral properties by the electrospinning method
Summary
The outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2 or COVID-19) in Wuhan in 2019 is a global health emergency with many cases of death and huge economic losses [1]. COVID-19 infections are transmitted mainly through the inhalation of droplets produced by coughing and sneezing [2]. The droplets of variable sizes are dispersed through the air or rest on varied material surfaces. Smaller droplets of less than 10 μm are capable of airborne transmission; droplets less than 1 μm can linger in the air for more than 12 h [3]. Recent research suggested that the airborne transmission of COVID-19 is the primary propagating route, similar to previous SARS-CoV1
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