Polymer Additives to Personal Protective Equipment can Inactivate Pathogens

• Published in: Annals of biomedical engineering Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 833 - 845
• Main Authors: Dogan, Alan B., Dabkowski, Katherine E., Cadnum, Jennifer L., Donskey, Curtis J., von Recum, Horst A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.04.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Additives; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; Biochemistry; Biological and Medical Physics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical engineering; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedicine; Biophysics; Classical Mechanics; Consumers; Coronaviruses; Cotton; COVID-19; Deactivation; Disease transmission; Engineering; Face; Fibers; Free radicals; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Gram-Positive Bacteria; Humans; Liquid culture; Masks; Molecular weight; Nanoparticles; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Original; Original Article; Pathogens; Permeability; Personal Protective Equipment; Polymerization; Polymers; Polypropylene; Protective equipment; Public health; Sanitation; SARS-CoV-2; Scanning electron microscopy; Personal protective equipment; Quaternary ammonium polymers; Bacterial contact-killing; Free radical polymerization; Aerosolized bacteria
• ISSN: 0090-6964; 1573-9686; 1573-9686
• DOI: 10.1007/s10439-022-03100-1

Face masks have been proven to be medicine’s best public health tool for preventing transmission of airborne pathogens. However, in situations with continuous exposure, lower quality and “do-it-yourself” face masks cannot provide adequate protection against pathogens, especially when mishandled. In addition, the use of multiple face masks each day places a strain on personal protective equipment (PPE) supply and is not environmentally sustainable. Therefore, there is a significant clinical and commercial need for a reusable, pathogen-inactivating face mask. Herein, we propose adding quaternary poly(dimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate), q(PDMAHDM), abbreviated to q(PDM), to existing fabric networks to generate “contact-killing” face masks—effectively turning cotton, polypropylene, and polyester into pathogen resistant materials. It was found that q(PDM)-integrated face masks were able to inactivate both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in liquid culture and aerosolized droplets. Furthermore, q(PDM) was electrospun into homogeneous polymer fibers, which makes the polymer practical for low-cost, scaled-up production.