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Review
. 2021 Oct 21;6(43):28463-28470.
doi: 10.1021/acsomega.1c04754. eCollection 2021 Nov 2.

Recent Progress in Modified Polymer-Based PPE in Fight Against COVID-19 and Beyond

Tanyaradzwa S Muzata  1   2 , Amanuel Gebrekrstos  1   2 , Suprakas Sinha Ray  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Recent Progress in Modified Polymer-Based PPE in Fight Against COVID-19 and Beyond

Tanyaradzwa S Muzata et al. ACS Omega. .

Abstract

The increasing concerns about human-health-related microbial infections and the need for the development of personal protective equipment (PPE) is becoming a major challenge. Because of their light weight and ease of processing, polymeric materials are widely used in designing and fabricating PPE that are being used by healthcare workers and the general population. Among the available PPEs, face masks have been widely developed from polymeric materials such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, and poly(ethylene terephthalate). However, currently, many of the face masks are not antimicrobial, which can pose a great risk for cross-infection as discarded masks can be a dangerous source of microbes. To prevent the spread of microbes, researchers have prompted the development of self-sterilizing masks that are capable of inactivating microbes via different mechanisms. Hence, this review provides a brief overview of the currently available antimicrobial-modified polymer-based PPE, and it mainly focuses on the different types of nanoparticles and other materials that have been embedded in different polymeric materials. The possibility of inhaling microplastics from wearing a face mask is also outlined, and the effects of various modifications on the health of face mask users are also explored. Furthermore, the effects of the disposed masks on the environment are underlined.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Spray-coating process of single-walled carbon nanotubes on the mask. Reprinted from ref (7). Copyright 2021 American Chemical Society.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mechanism in which the QAC/h-BN inactivates the bacteria on the PP surface. Reprinted from ref (16). Copyright 2020 American Chemical Society.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Antimicrobial coating on a face mask. Reprinted from ref (21). Copyright 2021 American Chemical Society.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Different types of masks are used to investigate the effect of microplastic inhalation. Reprinted with permission from ref (25). Copyright 2021 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Microplastics observed from the selected masks (a) surgical mask, (b) activated carbon mask, (c) surgical mask C, (d) cotton mask, (e) nonwoven mask, and (f) fashion mask. Reprinted with permission from ref (25). Copyright 2021 Elsevier Science Ltd.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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