Researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) have created a facemask using silver and copper nanolayers that neutralize SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the official gazette of the university said on Thursday. UNAM is calling a triple-layered antimicrobial facemask
I can Sak means silver in Maya and Cu is the chemical symbol for copper.
To test the masks, researchers took virus droplets from COVID-19-positive patients at Mexico’s Juarez Hospital and placed them on a silver-copper film deposited in polypropylene.
UNAM said that if the viral concentration was high, the virus disappeared by more than 80% in about eight hours and if the viral load was low, virus RNA was not detected in two hours.
“Upon contact with the silver-copper nanolayer, the SARS-CoV-2 membrane breaks down and its RNA is damaged,” the gazette states. “Thus, even if sakku is disposed of improperly, it will not be a problem as it does not remain contaminated, like many masks that are thrown away.
“The facemask is reusable and can be washed up to 10 times without losing its biocide properties. UNAM is not mass producing facemasks and said it currently has the capacity to produce 200 of them per day. Research The content was led by UNAM’s research institute. It has not been peer reviewed.
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