A new disinfectant kills viruses on a surface for up to seven days after application. This product could therefore be a new tool to fight against Covid-19 as well as six other viruses.
- Currently disinfectant products for health professions have a limited effectiveness over time
- New product would ensure perfect disinfection of all surfaces for 7 days
Up to seven days of effectiveness against viruses… This is the promise of a new disinfectant developed by American researchers whose work has been published in the journal ACS Nano . This product is said to be able to kill viruses for up to a week after it is applied to the surface where it was used. In the current context of a global epidemic, this discovery could constitute a powerful weapon against Covid-19 as well as other viruses.
7 days of effectiveness after application…
“Initially, I wanted to develop a fast-acting disinfectant, explains Christina Drake, the originator of this new product. But we spoke to consumers – such as doctors or dentists – to find out what they really want from a sanitizer. It was the long duration that mattered most to them, that the product continues to disinfect long after its application on contact areas such as door handles and floors.“Currently, disinfectant sprays and wipes have an action limited to a maximum of a few minutes after their use. This could therefore make it possible, in the future, to better contain the pandemic, by limiting contagion through surfaces.
… thanks to a composition based on nanoparticles
This new disinfectant is composed of nanoparticles, that is to say very small particles. The active ingredient, which makes the product effective, is an artificial nanostructure called cerium oxide. This has been modified by researchers to make it more potent against pathogens. “The nanoparticles emit electrons that oxidize the virus, rendering it inactive“, Explain Sudipta Seal, who participated in the project. In addition, it is the nanoparticles that allow the disinfectant to be effective for seven days after its application.
A disinfectant effective against at least 7 different viruses
“The disinfectant showed very good antiviral action against seven different virusesExplain claw Parks, whose lab was commissioned to test the product against multiple viruses. Not only did it show antiviral properties against coronavirus and rhinovirus, but it was also found to be effective against a wide range of other viruses with different structures and complexities. We hope that with such a wide range, this disinfectant will also be an effective tool against other new emerging viruses.”. Researchers are considering its use in healthcare facilities to limit infections of nosocomial diseases such as Staphylococcus aureus or Staphylococcus aureus.
No chemicals harmful to health
Another advantage of this new disinfectant: it does not contain harmful chemicals and can therefore be used on all surfaces. In fact, regulatory skin and eye cell irritation tests required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency have shown no adverse effects. “Many household disinfectants currently available contain chemicals that can be harmful to the body with repeated exposure.insists Christina Drake. Our nanoparticle-based product will be safer and thus play a major role in reducing overall human exposure to chemicals“. For the moment, this product is not yet marketed because additional research must be done, in particular to test it outside the laboratory. The purpose of these last tests is to see if it remains as effective despite the conditions external factors such as the temperature or the sun.
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