Research develops tissues that inactivate Covid-19 virus

In recent months, several researchers have been developing tissues capable of inactivating the amount of Sars-Cov-2, a virus responsible for causing Covid-19, on its surfaces. In early June, a Brazilian survey gained prominence for its effectiveness. Nanox, a Startup that already produced tissues that prevent the proliferation of fungi and bacteria, has developed a fabric composed of polyester, cotton and two silver microparticles in order to fight the virus. According to Luiz Gustavo Pagotto Simões, director of the company, microparticles can oxygenate and destroy the virus. "The tissue has this silver asset and the Sars CoV-2 virus has a lipid layer, a layer of fat that silver oxidizes, breaking the virus's protection barrier. So it destroys RNA and inactivates the virus," he explained. The product was sent for testing to the Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the University of São Paulo (ICB-USP) and, in partnership with Universitat Jaume I, spain, and the Center for the Development of Functional Materials (CDMF) of the Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP). It was proven that the composition of inactive tissue up to 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2 in two minutes of contact. In Switzerland, a study similar to that conducted in São Paulo proved the same efficacy in early June in tests with face masks. But after all, are tissues effective in combating coronavirus? What is your application? And the cost of these fabrics, is much higher? G1 listened to the researchers of the Brazilian project and an infectologist to answer these questions. To test tissue efficacy, the researchers used a large amount of the virus in the laboratory and isolated this sample. Inside a vial, the tissue was soaked with a huge viral load and it was observed whether Sars-Cov-2 would be inactivity. According to Luiz Gustavo Pagotto Simões, in two minutes of contact of polyester fabric, cotton and two silver microparticles with the virus, 99.9% of Sars-Cov-2 was inactivated. "There (in the sample) you will get a thousand units of virus. By eliminating 99.9% you lower to five virus units. So you have a drastic reduction in the virus. The product is also anti-fungus, anti-odor and eliminates bacteria," he said in an interview with G1. The Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the University of São Paulo (ICB-USP), responsible for isolating SARS-Cov-2 in Brazil, performed tissue testing, led by Professor Lúcio Freitas Junior, researcher ICB-USP, who explains how the procedure was performed: "We infected one tissue without modification, another with the two modifications and one with the virus that was inside a tube, with nothing, all this time. We had to test all the possibilities and gave an interesting result. Normal tissue (without modification) already eliminates 20% of the virus. On the cloth with the modification, eliminates 99.9% of the virus. When going to a supermarket or in some trade, for example, the person is constantly in contact with viruses and bacteria. In an assumption that this person touches an object contaminated with the coronavirus and then passes his hand on the shirt, the tissue with the technology developed can disable 99.9% of the virus in two minutes. With this, contagion through contact can suffer a reduction in certain situations. The infectologist Alexandre Barbosa, of the Society of Infectious Diseases of São Paulo, however, warns that contact is NOT the major cause of covid-19 virus transmission. "Although studies show that these tissues can actually be protective in the sense of inactivating Covid and other viruses, bacteria and fungi, this has an applicability, a minor, secondary importance in relation to Covid, since transmission by contact is not so important. About 70%, 80% of people are contaminated by droplets, respiratory form", comments Barbosa. In face masks, however, the infectologist believes that there is a greater importance and the type of tissue can be an ally in combating the spread of the virus. The fabrics can be used in the manufacture of various clothes: jeans for the production of pants and jackets, social shirts, company uniforms, gym clothes, medical lab coat and medical apparatus in general. Tests have shown that tissue can be washed up to 30 times until the effect against the virus begins to be impaired. The researchers want to increase this durability in the next confections. Luiz Gustavo Pagotto Simões estimates that products made with polyester fabric, cotton and two silver microparticles are 3% to 5% more expensive than the common ones sold in trades. According to Simões the technological fabrics are already for sale in greater São Paulo and in the interior of the state. In other countries, tissue technologies to combat coronavirus are also being developed. In Indiana, Usa, scientists developed a tissue capable of inactivating coronavirus using a weak electric field with microcella batteries. The study shows that the electricity rate is not harmful to human health. In Israel, a company has developed a fabric with zinc oxide nanoparticle coating, which also destroys bacteria, fungi and viruses. According to Reuters, a pilot test with the fabrics is being conducted in Italy in vehicles and on public transport.