Washington DC [US], January 30 : Researchers are actively creating anti-viral surfaces to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
A recent study discovered that a resin element is highly effective against coronaviruses and significantly reduces their infectivity on plastic surfaces.
Viruses may remain on solid surfaces for extended periods of time, increasing the risk of infection. Varpu Marjomaki, a Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Jyvaskyla, and his team are looking at how different surfaces and materials can help to slow the development of viral illnesses.
For example, they are investigating how long coronaviruses can survive on different surfaces when humidity and temperature vary.
This information would be of direct benefit to both consumers and industry. Antiviral functionality could be used, for example, in restaurants, kindergartens, public transport and stores, on different surfaces, where viruses can potentially stay infective for a long time and spread easily, said Professor Varpu Marjomaki from the University of Jyvaskyla.
The researchers of the Nanoscience Center of the University of Jyvaskyla studied resin-embedded plastic surfaces against both the seasonal human coronavirus and the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
In our recent study, we found that the viruses stayed infective for more than two days on plastic surfaces that were not treated at all.
In contrast, a plastic surface containing resin showed good antiviral activity within fifteen minutes of contact and excellent efficacy after thirty minutes. Plastic treated with resin is therefore a promising candidate for an antiviral surface, said Marjomaki.
The research is part of the BIOPROT project (Development of bio-based and antimicrobial materials and use as protective equipment) funded by Business Finland and has been done in collaboration with the Finnish company Premix Oy.
The project aims to study existing and develop new antiviral solutions in cooperation with companies such as Premix Oy. This will help to create new products for future pandemics and epidemics, said Marjomaki.
The BIOPROT project involves a total of six universities research institutes and several companies. The project is coordinated by LUT University and aims to develop new, sustainable and safe material solutions that will be used in the fight against infections, with a particular focus on respiratory and surgical mouth masks and reusable masks for industrial use.
It is also hoped that the project will improve the self-sufficiency of products and materials in Europe. At the University of Jyvaskyla, under the supervision of Marjomaki, the project is developing bio-based antiviral materials.
"Effective and nature-derived antivirals are available in Finland and could be used for the functionalisation of masks and surfaces. Presently, there are only a few bio-based functional solutions available, so we have an opportunity to be pioneers in this field," said Marjomaki.
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