A review on recent trends of antiviral nanoparticles and airborne filters: special insight on COVID-19 virus

Abstract

Novel corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic in the last 4 months stimulates the international scientific community to search for vaccine of antiviral agents suitable for in activating the virus inside and outside the human body. More than 4 million people globally are infected by the virus and about 300,000 dead cases until this moment. The ventilation and airborne filters are also investigated aiming to develop an efficient antiviral filtration technology. Human secretion of the infected person as nasal or saliva droplets goes as airborne and distributes the virus everywhere around the person. N95 and N98 filters are the must use filters for capturing particles of sizes around 300 nm. The average size of the novel corona virus (COVID-19) is 100 nm and there is no standard or special filter suitable for this virus. The nanoparticle-coated airborne filter is a suitable technique in this regard. While the efficiency of this type of filters still needs to be enhanced, new developed nanofiber filters are proposed. Most recently, the charged nanofiber filters of sizes below 100 nm are developed and provide an efficient viral filtration and inactivation. The efficiency of filter must be kept at accepted level without increasing the pressure drop. The present review outlines the most efficient antiviral nanoparticles including the recent functional nanoparticles. The filtration theory, filtration modeling, filter testing, and different types of filter with special concentration on the charged nanofiber filter were discussed. The charged nanofiber filter able to capture novel corona virus (COVID-19) with 94% efficiency and a pressure drop less than 20 MPa.

Polyvinylidene fluoride multi-scale nanofibrous membrane modified using N-halamine with high filtration efficiency and durable antibacterial properties for air filtration

“…In addition, more than six million people have died owing to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic [5] , [6] , [7] , [8] . Personal protective masks offer the most direct and effective protection in daily life [9] , [10] . However, most masks produce an odor after extended periods of use and cause physical discomfort as a result of bacterial growth [11] , [12] , [13] .…”

Fabrication of air filters with advanced filtration performance for removal of viral aerosols and control the spread of COVID-19

“…So, recently, the outbreak of the virus has made everyone think about air quality and the provision of proper air filtration systems. Besides, to protect general health, air filters based on electrospun nano-fibers that have antimicrobial properties have been expanded and can be used to provide proper ventilation systems and masks [ [18] , [19] , [20] , [21] , [22] ].…”

Recent breakthroughs in nanostructured antiviral coating and filtration materials: a brief review

“… 20 For instance, under a scanning electron microscope, the SARS-CoV-2 resembles a crown with a size of 60 to 140 nm and a height of 10 nm, which is smaller than the height of SARS (15 nm) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) (18.5 nm). 6 Creating smart nanostructures on the same scale and with geometry that is similar to that of viruses can be used to foster interactions that can inhibit or inactivate virus replication. 21 Additionally, many viruses utilize glycoproteins on their surface to attach to the host cell's molecules, and antivirals based on nanomaterials that resemble these cellular attachment points can be developed.…”

“…5 Studies show that the main pathway of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission is aerosol-mediated infection transfer through virus-laden droplets (that may be smaller or larger than 50 nm in size) that are expelled via coughing or sneezing by infected people. 6,7 Indirect contact transmission occurs when a susceptible host encounters a contaminated surface in public places such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, schools, public transportation, or businesses. 8,9 Depending on virus characteristics and environmental conditions, contagious viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus, and inuenza can survive for days to weeks, posing a great risk for transmission.…”