Copper Nanoparticles Impregnation in anti-Coronavirus Covid’19
Disposable Protective Masks
G. Margraf
1
, B. L. Fernandes
1,2
, P. Nohama
1,2
1
PPGTS-PUCPR, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
2
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, PR, Brazil
E-mail: gabriel_margraf_8@hotmail.com
Abstract –– After two pandemics in less than a decade, it
is clear that the fight against microbes is failing, and one of
the reasons is the inefficacy of disposable protective masks.
This project intends to evaluate the possibility of the
impregnation of copper particles as an active element to
eliminate viruses and bacteria, which in contact with cotton
conventional masks have a survival rate of up to 72 h. In
contact with copper particles, those microorganisms survive,
approximately, for 1 h. Therefore, the main objective of this
work was to evaluate a production process of impregnation of
copper particles in nonwoven fabric (TNT). To do so, we
isolated copper particles from copper sulfate solution with
constant heating, simultaneously impregnating pieces of TNT
cut from commercial disposable protective masks. We
performed SEM and EDS analysis to evaluate the
impregnation and particle sizes. Visually, the pieces were
partially impregnated which was confirmed by the SEM
images where one can see only some fibers covered by the
particles. Also, it is possible to notice that the size of the
particles was at microscale with some agglomeration. The
EDS confirmed 1.1% by mass of copper particles in the
sample. The procedure was easy to follow and at a low-cost
being, therefore, possible to be implemented after some
parameter adjustments.
Keywords –– Pandemics, copper, masks
I. INTRODUCTION
The moment in which humanity lives needs the
convergence of the efforts of the academic community
aimed at the innovation or improvement of techniques that
help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, as well
as others to come [1]. In this scenario, an indispensable
accessory is the disposable protective masks, used by
health professionals and the population in general.
However, in addition to not promoting the total retention
of particles [2], it does not provide the elimination of
microorganisms. Therefore, efforts have been done to
develop a more effective barrier in masks and equipment,
guaranteeing better protection and, as a consequence, a
lower spread of diseases caused by pathogenic
microorganisms [3,1]. Based on reports of scientific
studies, as well as on historical and contemporary
empiricism of the effectiveness of the use of copper
nanoparticles as agents to combat viruses and bacteria
[4,1,5,3], we performed an experiment aimed to develop
new copper-based particles impregnating method in TNT
pieces of disposable protective masks.
II. METHODOLOGY
We prepared one 2 g/l aqueous solution of copper
sulfate (CuSO4) and another containing 10 g/l ascorbic acid
solute (C6H8O6). The two solutions were mixed in the
following proportion: 500 ml of the copper sulfate solution
and 100 ml of the ascorbic acid solution.
Some square pieces of TNT surgical masks (2 cm side)
were added to the mixture of solutions inside a clean and
ethanol 70% sterilized 1 L round-bottom volumetric flask
with three outlets (Fig 1.). The system was heated to 80
°C, in a glycerin bath for 2 h.
Fig. 1. The mixture in the volumetric flask (arrow)
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2022 Global Medical Engineering Physics Exchanges/ Pan American Health Care Exchanges (GMEPE/PAHCE) | 978-1-6654-8435-0/22/$31.00 ©2022 IEEE | DOI: 10.1109/GMEPE/PAHCE55115.2022.9757790