They create reusable mask that cleans itself with sunlight

November 13, 2020 2 min read

• The mask releases reactive oxygen species (ROS) when exposed to daylight.

The ingenuity of people surprises us once again. The Chemical Society of the United States presented a mask that eliminates 99.99% of bacteria after exposing it to the sun for 60 minutes.

“Researchers reporting in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces have developed a special type of cotton mask that kills up to 99.9999% of bacteria and viruses within 60 minutes of exposure to daylight,” says the society. in a statement .

They also explain that this article was designed with viruses and bacteria that adhere to the mask in mind, which could be transferred to other places when people touch them or remove them from their face.

The mask releases reactive oxygen species (ROS) when exposed to daylight. This removes the microbes adhering to the fabric surface, which is washable and reusable.

“The research team discovered that a fabric made with a dye called Rose Bengal as a photosensitizer killed 99.9999% of bacteria added to the fabric within 60 minutes of exposure to daylight and inactivated 99, 9999% of bacteriophage T7, a virus that is believed to be more resistant to ROS than some coronaviruses in 30 minutes ”, they explain .