a novel anti-influenza copper oxide containing respiratory face mask一种新型抗流感氧化铜包含呼吸面罩.pdfVIP

A Novel Anti-Influenza Copper Oxide Containing Respiratory Face Mask 1 2 1 1 Gadi Borkow *, Steve S. Zhou , Tom Page , Jeffrey Gabbay 1 Cupron Scientific, Modi’in, Israel, 2 Microbiotest, Microbac Laboratories, Inc. Sterling, Virginia, United States of America Abstract Background: Protective respiratory face masks protect the nose and mouth of the wearer from vapor drops carrying viruses or other infectious pathogens. However, incorrect use and disposal may actually increase the risk of pathogen transmission, rather than reduce it, especially when masks are used by non-professionals such as the lay public. Copper oxide displays potent antiviral properties. A platform technology has been developed that permanently introduces copper oxide into polymeric materials, conferring them with potent biocidal properties. Methodology/Principal Findings: We demonstrate that impregnation of copper oxide into respiratory protective face masks endows them with potent biocidal properties in addition to their inherent filtration properties. Both control and copper oxide impregnated masks filtered above 99.85% of aerosolized viruses when challenged with 5.66 60.51 and 6.17 60.37 log10TCID50 of human influenza A virus (H1N1) and avian influenza virus (H9N2), respectively, under simulated breathing conditions (28.3 L/min). Importantly, no infectious human influenza A viral titers were recovered from the copper oxide containing masks within 30 minutes (#0.88 log10TCID50), while 4.67 61.35 log10TCID50 were recovered from the control masks. Similarly, the infectious avian influenza titers recovered from the copper oxide containing masks were #0.97 60.01 log10TCID50 and from the control