A group of Spanish scientists has identified two materials that can be used to decontaminate surfaces, liquids and air containing viral particles from viruses. It is a glass called G3 and a kaolin clay with nanoparticles of silver or copper oxide. These two materials, which are inorganic, are capable of reducing viral infectivity by more than 99% for the viruses studied in one hour. Although it was initially tested with the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) as a model, it has also been tested with others such as covid-19, influenza, herpes simplex and adenovirus. Researchers are currently trying to develop prototype surfaces containing these materials that are capable of killing viruses.
The resultspublished in Materials Today Bio, are especially positive for VSV: they show a reduction in viral infectivity close to 99% in the first 10 minutes of contact with this virus. This is because when G3 glass and kaolin clay with silver or copper oxide nanoparticles come into contact with any of these viruses, they cause a physical-chemical reaction that inhibits the growth of the pathogen. The mechanism of action is directly related to the properties of the materials: in the case of glass, which induces virus aggregation, and in the case of kaolin-based materials, by adsorption and the ions released into the medium.
The possible applications of these materials are diverse and can be used in different states, as explained by Estanislao Nistal Villan, head of the Virology and Immunity Laboratory at the CEU San Pablo University in Madrid and one of the authors of the study: in the air, with the creation of filters; in solids, with the development of surfaces with these materials to guarantee, in the event that there were remains of the virus, that they would be inactivated; and in liquids, for the treatment of non-drinking water, for example. Bethlehem Cabalsenior scientist at the Asturian Center for Research in Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology (CINN), and co-author of the study, defends the versatility of materials, since they can be adapted “both in morphology and size or depending on where it is applied”.
Antonio Alcami, from the Severo Ochoa Center for Molecular Biology, of the Autonomous University of Madrid, and who has not participated in the research, highlights that it has been studied in various viruses and not just covid-19. “As a society we are more aware of the need to have methods that inactivate viruses and prevent transmissions. This type of work has a very good application in the future because it can not only be applied in this pandemic, but in other viruses and also bacteria, which is one of the great problems that we are going to have: bacteria resistant to antibiotics”, he stresses. . G3 glass and kaolin clay with silver or copper oxide nanoparticles are also effective against fungi and bacteria.
Materials to combat infectious diseases
Metals have been and are used since ancient times to combat infectious diseases, as reported in one of the chapters of a book on metallic nanoparticles for clinical or biomedical applications. With the development of technologies, some of these metallic nanoparticles (such as silver, gold, zinc oxide, titanium or magnesium, among others) are increasingly playing a greater role as antimicrobial agents due to their inhibitory capacity against fungi, viruses and bacteria . However, they can have toxic effects and even become a threat to people and the environment. In the research, according to Cabal, with the kaolins, the nanoparticles are superficially anchored in the material, which makes it possible to control their release into the environment. “What we have with this type of material is a dispenser that controls the mechanical ions, which allows you to improve the durability and effectiveness of the material. It makes it possible to guarantee that it is below toxic limits that can be harmful to the environment and to living beings”, he explains.
The beginning of this study goes back many years, recalls José Serafín Moya, professor ad honorem at the CINN and who participates in the research. Initially, work was done to develop antimicrobial and inorganic materials. Initially, they focused on metal-based nanoparticle systems known to have antimicrobial functions. One of these systems developed was kaolin with metallic or oxidic nanoparticles. In parallel to this research, glasses were designed, such as G3, which, without having nanoparticles, presented bactericidal efficacy. With the arrival of the pandemic, the CSIC financed research on the effectiveness of these materials against viruses. Scientists focused on these two types of inorganic materials and, together with groups of virologists, developed this research. “The novelty is having been able to develop a new material with initially bactericidal functionality and, 10 years later, having validated that it also has that virucidal character,” says Cabal regarding glass.
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