SARS-CoV-2 inactivation: assessing the efficacy of GO-anchored filters versus various commercial masks

Abstract

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), posed a significant global health threat. As a result, face masks became widely adopted as a preventive measure to mitigate the spread of the virus. However, the effectiveness of different mask materials in filtering and inactivating SARS-CoV-2 varies. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of graphene oxide (GO)-anchored filters in inactivating SARS-CoV-2 and compared their performance to various commercially available masks under controlled laboratory conditions. Our findings demonstrated that GO-anchored filters exhibited superior SARS-CoV-2 inactivation efficiency compared to all tested commercial masks. The enhanced efficacy of GO-anchored filters is attributed to the unique physicochemical properties of graphene oxide, which enable the physical capture of viral particles and virucidal activity through mechanisms such as oxidative stress and membrane disruption. These results highlight the potential of GO-anchored filters as a promising material for developing high-performance face masks with superior viral filtration and inactivation capabilities. This knowledge is valuable for informing public health measures and guiding the development of effective personal protective equipment (PPE) to combat current and future pandemics.