The new method can neutralize crowns with mineral nanoparticles

A new way of neutralizing the coronary and other viruses caused by the membrane has been discovered by researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the University of Tartu. Some mineral nanoparticles were found to damage the membrane of the virus, making it the least capable of entering human cells. The proof of action has not been discussed in previous survey. Technology operates at room temperature and also in the dark, offering a number of benefits to disinfect surfaces, air and water.

“Using this new knowledge, it should be easy to create surfaces with antiviral properties simply spraying them with aqueous solutions of suitable nanoparticles and letting them dry. Says Professor Vadim Kessler from the SLU that has led the project.

The recent Covid-19 pandemic has led to a strong search for new types of treatments and disinfection methods that can be used in viral diseases of this type. An area that has been very careful is nanotechnology, as the tiny particles of certain metals and metal oxides have been shown to have antiviral properties.

Now, researchers from the SLU and the University of Tartu in Estonia have studied the result when some types of nanoparticles minerals come into contact with a crown and have discovered a way of action that has not been proposed before.

Now we understand what properties should be the particles against the crown and this is a very important step forward. ”

Professor Vadim Kessler from SLU

The coronies belong to a type of virus that has an external envelope, a lipid membrane. It has been shown that the nanoparticles of mineral sand such as titanium oxide are very strongly associated with phospholipids in this membrane. This damages the membrane and leads to the release of viral genetic material, thereby making the virus less capable of infecting cells.

An important advantage is that this is the case at room temperature and that it requires no activation. Previously, it is believed that mineral nanoparticles could only destroy viruses producing so -called reactive oxygen species, which would require ultraviolet lighting.

Thus, the study suggests that surfaces overlapped with titanium nanoparticles can destroy environmental viruses such as coronies and influenza viruses without having to be activated with ultraviolet light and thus be able to operate in dark areas. Other small metal oxides that are strongly associated with phospholipids, such as iron and aluminum oxides, could function in the same way. Another possible application could be to clean the contaminated water in emergency situations by adding a nanoprite and allowing to install the resulting gel.

“The particles we produce are not dangerous to the human body,” adds Angela Ivask, who is a professor of genetics at the University of Tartu. “We tried them in various cellular rows to assure it.”