Enhanced Design of PPE Based on Electrostatic Principle to Eliminate Viruses (SARS-CoV-2)

Abstract

The ongoing global pandemic due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is in the crucial stage. The vaccine is still at the developing stage. Currently, the only way to check the spreading of this virus is self-isolation. It is reported that a good number of health workers are infected while treating patients suffering from COVID 19. Therefore, an effort is made to develop a system that can enhance safety and check unwanted viruses. Although the complete specification of the SARS-CoV-2 is yet to be evaluated, the present work considers the characteristic of SARS-CoV-1, which closely relates to that of SARS-CoV-2. The proteins are one of the most important structural and functional molecules of the virus; therefore, few properties of a protein are considered. In this work, we propose a sanitization procedure of the personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves and masks, before and after the use, by employing high voltage charge generator (30 kV) from a very low DC source of 5 V to eliminate the virus from the surface of PPE. The positive output is connected to a metallic surface coated with carbon nanotubes (CNT) or a metallic surface ablated using lithography to achieve desired nano-grooves of 200 nm. At the tip of these nano-grooves, a very high electric field is generated which readily ionises the air in the vicinity of the tip. The high electric field alters the induced dipole of the protein of the virus, causing permanent damage in terms of electroporation. Further positive salt ions diffuse into the protein of the viruses, causing it inactive and disintegrate.

Sanitization During and After COVID-19 Pandemic: A Short Review

“…Sanitization based research is a void where technologies and research other than those focused on chemical disinfectants can play a crucial role. Fluid dynamics (Bhardwaj and Agrawal 2020 ), LEDs (Tseng and Li 2007 ; McDevitt et al 2012 ), surface treatment using carbon nanotubes (Kashyap and Saha 2020 ), nanocarbons like activated fullerene (Siddiquie et al 2020 ) and TiO 2 nanoparticles hydrophobic coating (Mahapatra et al 2020 ) along with many more strands of science need to focus and contribute to an area as common as sanitization.…”

COVID‐19: Prevention, Detection, and Treatment by Using Carbon Nanotubes‐Based Materials

“…Another reported work showed that CNTs-coated PPE could eliminate the virus by employing a high-voltage charge based on the electrostatic principle. [94] This treatment destroys the virus when it comes in contact with the charged surface of a health worker. Furthermore, this fabricated PPE was reusable, thus making it economically friendlier.…”

PREFACE on the Special Issue ‘Technologies for Fighting COVID-19’

“…Mahapatra et al ( 2020 ) proposed to combine anti-viral action with liquid-repelling properties to enhance the functionality of personal protective equipments (PPEs). Kashyap and Saha ( 2020 ) came up with novel idea of employing a high voltage charge generator from a very low DC source to eliminate the virus from the surface of PPE, with the aim of sanitizing it before and after use. Siddiquie et al ( 2020 ) proposed reduction in contact of viruses with surfaces by employing hydrophobic surfaces by texturing them.…”