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. 2022 Mar 15:311:131554.
doi: 10.1016/j.matlet.2021.131554. Epub 2021 Dec 23.

Ozone as an alternative decontamination process for N95 facemask and biosafety gowns

G Ibáñez-Cervantes  1   2 , G E Lugo-Zamudio  1 , C Cruz-Cruz  1 , E M Durán-Manuel  1 , J C Bravata-Alcántara  1 , E García-Moncada  1 , M Mata-Rocha  3 , L Delgado-Balbuena  1 , M A Cureño-Díaz  1 , C R Ramírez-Cortina  4 , G León-Ávila  5 , B Nogueda-Torres  6 , J M Hernández-Hernández  7 , S E Rodil  8 , J M Bello-López  1
Affiliations

Ozone as an alternative decontamination process for N95 facemask and biosafety gowns

G Ibáñez-Cervantes et al. Mater Lett. .

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic created a global shortage of medical protective equipment. Here, we considered ozone (O3) a disinfectant alternative due to its potent oxidative activity against biological macromolecules. The O3 decontamination assays were done using SARS-CoV-2 obtained from patients to produce artificial contamination of N95 masks and biosecurity gowns. The quantification of SARS-CoV-2 was performed before and after exposing the samples to different ozone gas concentrations for times between 5 and 30 min. Viral loads as a function of the O3 exposure time were estimated from the data obtained by the RT-PCR technique. The genetic material of the virus was no longer detected for any tested concentrations after 15 min of O3 exposure, which means a disinfection Concentration-Time above 144 ppm min. Vibrational spectroscopies were used to follow the modifications of the polymeric fibers after the O3 treatment. The results indicate that the N95 masks could be safely reused after decontamination with treatments of 15 min at the established O3 doses for a maximum of 6 cycles.

Keywords: COVID-19; Decontamination; Ozone; Ozone, O3; Protective Equipment, PPE; Protective equipment; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

None
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Logarithmic reduction in the viral loads after exposure to the ozone for A. the N95 facemask and B. the biosafety gown. The standard deviations obtained from three replications are not visible. The numeric values are present in Tables S1 and S2.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A. Raman spectra of the N95 facemasks as a function of the O3 exposure time. B. ATR-FTIR spectra of the N95 facemasks. Carbonyl (1700 cm−1) groups due to the ozonolytic degradation are observed after 120 min. C. FTIR spectra of the elastic straps of the N95 facemasks. Carbonyl and hydroxyl degradation signals and the scission of the C.H. bonds are observed. D. FTIR spectra of a piece of the biosafety gowns.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Summary of the stress–strain curves of the elastic bands before and after the O3 treatment. A. Tensile strength, B. Elongation at the break.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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