Photocatalytic Treatments for Personal Protective Equipment: Experimental Microbiological Investigations and Perspectives for the Enhancement of Antimicrobial Activity by Micrometric TiO 2

Lory Marika Margarucci, Gianluca Gianfranceschi, Vincenzo Romano Spica, Giuseppe D’Ermo, Cristiano Refi, Maurizio Podico, Matteo Vitali, Ferdinando Romano and Federica Valeriani
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Lory Marika Margarucci: Department of Movement, Human, and Health Sciences, Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biotechnologies, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy
Gianluca Gianfranceschi: Department of Movement, Human, and Health Sciences, Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biotechnologies, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy
Vincenzo Romano Spica: Department of Movement, Human, and Health Sciences, Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biotechnologies, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy
Giuseppe D’Ermo: Department of Surgery “P. Valdoni”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Cristiano Refi: GeneS, Research Start Up, 00187 Rome, Italy
Maurizio Podico: Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
Matteo Vitali: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Ferdinando Romano: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Federica Valeriani: Department of Movement, Human, and Health Sciences, Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biotechnologies, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-17

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to countries enforcing the use of facial masks to prevent contagion. However, acquisition, reuse, and disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE) has generated problems, in regard to the safety of individuals and environmental sustainability. Effective strategies to reprocess and disinfect PPE are needed to improve the efficacy and durability of this equipment and to reduce waste load. Thus, the addition of photocatalytic materials to these materials, combined with light exposure at specific wavelengths, may represent promising solutions. To this aim, we prepared a series of masks by depositing micrometer-sized TiO 2 on the external surfaces; the masks were then contaminated with droplets of bacteria suspensions and the coatings were activated by light radiation at different wavelengths. A significant reduction in the microbial load (over 90%, p < 0.01) was observed using both Gram negative ( E. coli ) and Gram positive ( S. aureus ) bacteria within 15 min of irradiation, with UV or visible light, including sunlight or artificial sources. Our results support the need for further investigations on self-disinfecting masks and other disposable PPE, which could positively impact (i) the safety of operators/workers, and (ii) environmental sustainability in different occupational or recreational settings.

Keywords: titanium dioxide; photocatalysis; disinfection; mask; nanoparticles; PPE (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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