Anti-viral coating on face masks may kill coronavirus, UK study finds

Scientists at University of Cambridge working with an anti-viral coating techlogy called DioX believe that it could protect facemask users by killing dely coronavirus in as little as an hour.

According to ‘ Daily Telegraph’, invisible coating on facemasks attacks virus by rapturing its outer layer, effectively eliminating all new mutant variants, including UK’s so-called Kent variant and South African variant.

" antiviral nt within coating of mask kills virus by breaching its protective outer membrane, which is kwn as its envelope. Unlike or parts of virus, membrane remains same regardless of any of mutation. Hence this way of attacking pathogen will work on any new variant of coronavirus,” Dr Graham Christie, senior lecturer at Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechlogy at University of Cambridge, told newspaper.

“In fact, you could mutate entire geme of virus and it would have effect on envelope. We expect to see same response regardless of strain of coronavirus because structurally y are all very similar," he said.

techlogy called DiOX is based on quaternary ammonium salts – organic compounds widely used in textile industry for ir antimicrobial properties. Laboratory tests showed that mask coated with it killed 95 per cent of pathogens on its surface within one hour and y were undetectable after four hours.

Experts say action of antiviral nt continues to work because it is unaffected by changes in spike protein of virus, which is method by which coronavirus mutates.

" variants that we are seeing occur in spike proteins that stud surface of virus rar than membrane of envelope," said Dr Christie.

“It is genetic information that encodes this protein that is mutating, and this is leing to very slight structural changes in shape of spike. However, envelope is derived from part of a human cell that virus grabs from its host in order to protect its genetic material. It is me from lipids, which unlike proteins do t change," he said.

According to newspaper report, mask is reusable and can be washed up to 20 times, albeit subject to a reduction in efficacy after multiple washes. During study, mask was tested on a coronavirus called MHV-A59, which is genetically and structurally very similar to SARS-CoV-2.

" Cambridge work followed industry standards for testing of viruses on material," said Andy Middleton, co-founder of LiquidNa, UK company which commissioned study.

"It also me some critical aptations to give it a more ‘real-world’ relevance. This included conducting splash tests to mimic sneezing, helping to ensure tests were as rigorous as possible. We have taken a proven antiviral nt and developed it for fabric in order to create a user-friendly mask," he said.

DioX D4 claims to offer a patented techlogy for inhibiting growth of a wide array of bacteria, mould, mildew, algae, fungi, and yeast on textile materials.

vel antimicrobial nt provides an invisible microbiostatic coating to inhibit growth of odour causing bacteria. Given coronavirus pandemic, DiOX D4 said it has also been independently tested to rapidly reduce bacterial and viral pathogens, “greatly limiting risk of contact contamination and infection”.

If proved effective in furr analyses, techlogy could offer an ditional layer of protection against dely viruses over time.