Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) has developed a one-step curable anti-microbial coating which, when coated on different surfaces such as textile, plastic and so on could kill a range of virus types including COVID 19.
Details:
- The recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has created an unprecedented stir in global public health. Like influenza, Coronavirus is also an enveloped virus.
- JNCASR has developed a one-step curable anti-microbial coating which, when coated on different surfaces such as textile, plastic and so on could kill a range of virus types including COVID 19.
- This covalent coating has been found to completely kill influenza virus as well as resistant pathogenic bacteria and fungi, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and fluconazole-resistant C. albicans spp.
- In brief, for coating on cotton, the sheets were dipped in a water solution of the compounds whereas, for other cases, ethanolic substrates were drop-casted on them followed by UV irradiation. (In chemistry, a substrate can refer to a surface on which other chemical reactions are performed)
- After coating, the surfaces were evaluated for their antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activity.
- Upon the formation of the coating, it has been shown to permeabilize the membranes of pathogens (i.e. bacteria) leading to their inactivation.
Benefits:
- Can help prevent contamination:
- Till date(to the best of our knowledge) there is no covalent coating strategy which can kill all viruses, bacteria and fungi.
- Therefore it is anticipated that the coating may inactivate SARS-CoV-2 upon contact and can help prevent contamination if coated on various surfaces.
- The coating can be fabricated on a variety of surfaces, and its ease and robustness eliminate the necessity of skilled personnel for procurement of the coating.
- Ability to cross-link: The molecules developed have an ability to chemically cross-link with different surfaces upon UV irradiation.
Considering the current coronavirus outbreak, if shown to be active, the molecule can be synthesized in large scale through a CRO (Contract Research Organization) and can be coated on various personal protective tools such as masks, gloves, gowns, etc. in collaboration with the private organizations.
Extra notes:
Enveloped Virus
- A virus that has an outer wrapping or envelope. This envelope comes from the infected cell, or host, in a process called “budding off.”
- During the budding process, newly formed virus particles become “enveloped” or wrapped in an outer coat that is made from a small piece of the cell’s plasma membrane.
- The envelope may play a role in helping a virus survive and infect other cells.
