The ability of face masks and other forms of personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce and/or prevent the possibility of cross-infection and transmission is of critical importance in occupational environments where aerosolized pathogens may be encountered (ie. COVID-19 intensive care units, etc.). Because viruses and microorganisms can survive on surfaces for a few hours to several days, respirator masks and other forms of PPEthat have been contaminated with pathogens can become secondary sources of infection for the wearer andothers, thus limiting them to single use. In recent months, this has led to N95 respirator shortages worldwideand an undeniable public plea from our nation's medical professionals for better PPE resources to help mitigatethe dangers of viral cross-infection from contaminated PPE in their high-risk occupational environments. Thereis an urgent moral obligation for the science and business community to develop the next-generation of anti-viral resources to protect the occupational safety of professionals on the frontlines of this and future pandemics. Towards that aim, Seacoast Science, Inc. in collaboration with Professor Dave Spivak (APTEC) propose theco-development of antiviral polymer coatings for application in rapid reuse PPE. Leveraging a known saltcrystallization mechanism, proven to kill pathogens via hydration and subsequent recrystallization from humanbreath, we hypothesize the use of a modified polymeric salt will equally provide SARS CoV-2 inactivation whileenhancing mechanical properties for improved compatibility with melt blown fibers of N95 masks vs. table salt.We will develop Polyethyleneimine (PEI) branched polymers with increased osmotic pressure and high antiviralactivity that are adhered to a substrate of activated charcoal (AC) to tune polymer loading and filter pore size.This smart, responsive materials system can be used to modify the blown-polymer fiber filters used in N95 masksand/or deposited as anti-viral coatings on other forms of PPE. The proposed technology is anticipated to extendthe useful lifetime of N95 masks beyond the single use recommendation, affording protection over multiple uses. In phase I, Seacoast will establish proof-of-concept that the proposed system can be applied to N95 respiratorsto augment virus negation and increase mask lifetime. Anti-viral polymers will be synthesized utilizing facile,modular, high-yielding chemistry that is compatible with scalable, multi-gram batches and low-cost solutionprocessing. These polymers will be solution deposited onto the blown-polymer fiber filters used in N95 masks,which have been surface-treated with AC. We will evaluate the geometric, mechanical, and hygroscopic behaviorof these novel materials, demonstrating their capacity to induce osmotic effects (vs. non-polymeric salt solutions)across membranes structurally analogous to viral envelopes. Seacoast will down-select the top material(s) fromthese initial experiments and test them against viable COVID analogues in a regulated BSL3 lab to demonstrateefficacy. The proposed virus negating materials are anticipated to facilitate the advent of rugged, anti-viralcoatings for the next-generation of rapid-reuse PPE for SARS CoV-2 and emerging variants (delta, mu, etc.).
Public Health Relevance Statement: Project Narrative
The development of anti-viral coatings that neutralize the risk of cross-infection from pathogen contaminated
personal protective equipment (PPE) is a topic of urgent societal need, as our country grapples with the challenge
of safeguarding frontline medical professionals against SARS CoV-2 and dangerous emerging mutations (ie.
delta variant) in the current pandemic. Towards that aim, Seacoast Science, Inc. in collaboration with Professor
Dave Spivak of APTEC jointly propose the co-development of a smart, responsive, anti-viral materials system
that can be used for application in next-generation, rapid reuse PPE. This transformative polymer system is
rationally designed to augment virus negation and increase useful lifetime of PPE over the single-use
recommendation currently in place.
Project Terms:
