A team of Indian scientists have developed a self-disinfecting antiviral mask to fight the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, the ministry of science and technology said on Friday. The antiviral mask coated with copper-based nanoparticles exhibits high performance against coronavirus as well as several other viral and bacterial infections, according to the ministry. The mask is biodegradable, highly breathable and washable.
Mask-wearing has been one of the important and effective health measures to contain the virus as the mode of transmission is via respiratory particles that are mainly airborne. But the ministry noted that controlling the virus transmission by wearing conventional masks has been difficult, particularly in densely populated places like hospitals, airports, stations, and shopping malls where the virus load is very high. It said that expensive masks in the Indian market “neither exhibit antiviral nor antibacterial properties.”
“The present-day face masks only retain the viruses by filtering and do not kill them and hence, are prone to transmission if the masks are not properly worn or disposed,” the ministry added.
Researchers at International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), developed the face mask in collaboration with a Bengaluru based company, Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) and Resil Chemicals, under Nano-Mission project sponsored by the department of science and technology.
“Prototype masks having different designs such as single layer and triple layers with nanoparticle coated fabric as outer layer have been demonstrated. A single layer mask is especially useful as a protective antiviral outer mask over a regular mask,” the ministry said.
{{/usCountry}}“Prototype masks having different designs such as single layer and triple layers with nanoparticle coated fabric as outer layer have been demonstrated. A single layer mask is especially useful as a protective antiviral outer mask over a regular mask,” the ministry said.
{{/usCountry}}“Simple multi-layer cloth masks present a pragmatic solution for use by the public in reducing Covid-19 transmission in the community and wearing these self-disinfecting cloth masks is definitely one of them,” it added.