Researchers have developed a plasma-based disinfectant generated with the help of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma (CAP) that can act as an environment-friendly de-contaminant for COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical need for de-contaminants capable of limiting the spread of infectious diseases through contact. However, the majority of de-contaminants contained environmentally hazardous chemicals.
This encouraged the researchers’ team to look for greener alternatives. They demonstrated that the plasma generated by CAP has the potential to deactivate the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The protein binds to the human ACE2 receptor, causing viral infection, eventually leading to the COVID-19 disease.
Plasma — the fourth state of matter that makes up the majority of the universe — is known as Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma when produced in a laboratory under controlled conditions. The scientists passed plasma-forming gases like Helium and Argon through high voltage electric fields, resulting in the formation of a stable plasma. This is comprised of a mixture of ions and electrons and emits a pink glow inside the reaction chamber.
This study, which was recently published in the international journal Advances of the Royal Society of Chemistry, revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was completely deactivated by short-lived highly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species generated in the plasma. The RT-PCR analysis also showed that CAP can deactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus’s RNA.
The researchers insisted that the CAP-based disinfection method was a better alternative to environmentally hazardous chemical-based decontamination methods. “The cold atmospheric plasma is environmentally safe since no chemical waste is produced during the entire decontamination process by plasma treatment,” the study explains.
The lead authors Sankaranarayanan and Bailung noted that the disinfection method could further be extended for various bacterial or fungal infections.
The research was conducted at the COVID-19 testing and research facility of the Institute of the Advanced Study in Science and Technology in Guwahati, Assam. The centre has carried out more than 1.54 lakhs tests to date according to its director, Ashis K. Mukherjee.
Article Credits: Weather.com
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