Sanitization During and After COVID-19 Pandemic: A Short Review

Design of an innovative sanitation system for bike-sharing service

The concept of a novel sanitization device specifically designed for helmets used in bike share services is presented in this scientific work. The system uses ozone, a powerful oxidizing agent, to completely remove dust and bacteria from the helmet surface. Throughout the development process, special attention has been paid to the dual initial goals of efficacy in removing dirt and batteries, as well as ease of use related to the device's safety. In fact, today's sharing services are rarely capable of providing adequate disinfection of the tools, which is especially troubling given the most recent years of pandemic caused by Covid-19. The invention of the ozone-based sanitization device addresses the growing concern about hygiene and safety in bike share services. Furthermore, due to its portability and ease of use, the device is a cost-effective and viable solution for use in a variety of settings. A significant contribution to the advancement of sanitization technology and public health is expected with this work.

A review on sterilization methods of environmental decontamination to prevent the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 virus): A new challenge towards eco-friendly solutions

In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic is currently wreaking havoc on the planet. SARS-CoV-2, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, is the current term for this outbreak. Reports about this novel coronavirus have been presented since the pandemic's breakout, and they have demonstrated that it transmits rapidly from person to person, primarily by droplets in the air. Findings have illustrated that SARS-CoV-2 can survive on surfaces from hours to days. Therefore, it is essential to find practical solutions to reduce the virus's impact on human health and the environment. This work evaluated common sterilization methods that can decontaminate the environment and items. The goal is that healthcare facilities, disease prevention organizations, and local communities can overcome the new challenge of finding eco-friendly solutions. Further, a foundation of information encompassing various sterilization procedures and highlighting their limits to choose the most appropriate method to stop disease-causing viruses in the new context has been presented. The findings of this crucial investigation contribute to gaining insight into the comprehensive sterilization approaches against the coronavirus for human health protection and sustainable environmental development.

Evaluation of inactivation of bovine coronavirus by low-level radiofrequency irradiation

Inactivation of influenza A virus by radiofrequency (RF) energy exposure at levels near Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) safety thresholds has been reported. The authors hypothesized that this inactivation was through a structure-resonant energy transfer mechanism. If this hypothesis is confirmed, such a technology could be used to prevent transmission of virus in occupied public spaces where RF irradiation of surfaces could be performed at scale. The present study aims to both replicate and expand the previous work by investigating the neutralization of bovine coronavirus (BCoV), a surrogate of SARS-CoV-2, by RF radiation in 6-12 GHz range. Results showed an appreciable reduction in BCoV infectivity (up to 77%) due to RF exposure to certain frequencies, but failed to generate enough reduction to be considered clinically significant.

Chargeability study of disinfectants and the optimization of design parameters of a handheld electrostatic disinfection device for small scale applications

Apart from aerosols, contaminated surfaces with SARS-CoV-2 virus are the significant carriers of virus transmission. The disinfection and sanitization of the indoor and outdoor places are one among the powerful and effective strategies to avoid the surface-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) through frequent touch and physical contact. Electrostatic spraying is one of the effective and efficient methods to apply the liquid-based sprays on surfaces to be disinfected or sanitized. This technique covers the directly exposed and obscured surfaces uniformly and reaches to hidden areas of the target. In this paper, the design and performance parameters of a motorized pressure-nozzle based handheld electrostatic disinfection device were optimized and the chargeability of ethanol (C2H5OH), formaldehyde (CH2O), glutaraldehyde (C5H8O2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), phenol (C6H5OH) and sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) has been critically investigated. The chargeability indicator for disinfectants was presented in terms of the charge-to-mass ratio. The significant value of the charge-to-mass ratio of 1.82 mC/kg was achieved at an applied voltage of 2.0 kV, the liquid flow rate and pressure of 28 ml/min and 5 MPa, respectively. The experimental results are well aligned to the proposed theoretical context.

Artificial intelligence-based stratification of demographic, ocular surface high-risk factors in progression of keratoconus

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the clinical and ocular surface risk factors influencing the progression of keratoconus (KC) using an artificial intelligence (AI) model.

Methods

This was a prospective analysis in which 450 KC patients were included. We used the random forest (RF) classifier model from our previous study (which evaluated longitudinal changes in tomographic parameters to predict "progression" and "no progression") to classify these patients. Clinical and ocular surface risk factors were determined through a questionnaire, which included presence of eye rubbing, duration of indoor activity, usage of lubricants and immunomodulator topical medications, duration of computer use, hormonal disturbances, use of hand sanitizers, immunoglobulin E (IgE), and vitamins D and B12 from blood investigations. An AI model was then built to assess whether these risk factors were linked to the future progression versus no progression of KC. The area under the curve (AUC) and other metrics were evaluated.

Results

The tomographic AI model classified 322 eyes as progression and 128 eyes as no progression. Also, 76% of the cases that were classified as progression (from tomographic changes) were correctly predicted as progression and 67% of cases that were classified as no progression were predicted as no progression based on clinical risk factors at the first visit. IgE had the highest information gain, followed by presence of systemic allergies, vitamin D, and eye rubbing. The clinical risk factors AI model achieved an AUC of 0.812.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the importance of using AI for risk stratification and profiling of patients based on clinical risk factors, which could impact the progression in KC eyes and help manage them better.

Bio-based antimicrobial compositions and sensing technologies to improve food safety

Microbial contamination of food products is a significant challenge that impacts food safety and quality. This review focuses on bio-based technologies for enhancing the decontamination of raw foods during postharvest processing, preventing cross-contamination, and rapidly detecting microbial risks. The bio-based antimicrobial compositions include bio-based antimicrobial delivery systems and coatings. The antimicrobial delivery systems are developed using cell-based carriers, microbubbles, and lipid-based colloidal particles. The antimicrobial coatings are engineered by incorporating biopolymers with conventional antimicrobials or cell-based antimicrobial carriers. The bio-based sensing approaches focus on replacing antibodies with more stable and cost-effective bio-receptors, including antimicrobial peptides, bacteriophages, DNAzymes, and engineered liposomes. Together, these approaches can reduce microbial contamination risks and enhance the in-situ detection of microbes.

SARS-CoV-2 removal with a polyurethane foam composite

The pandemic of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 disease) has been causing unprecedented health and economic impacts, alerting the world to the importance of basic sanitation and existing social inequalities. The risk of the spread and appearance of new diseases highlights the need for the removal of these pathogens through efficient techniques and materials. This study aimed to develop a polyurethane (PU) biofoam filled with dregs waste (leftover from the pulp and paper industry) for removal SARS-CoV-2 from the water. The biofoam was prepared by the free expansion method with the incorporation of 5wt% of dregs as a filler. For the removal assays, the all materials and its isolated phases were incubated for 24 h with an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 viral suspension. Then, the RNA was extracted and the viral load was quantified using the quantitative reverse transcription (RT-qPCR) technique. The biofoam (polyurethane/dregs) reached a great removal percentage of 91.55%, whereas the isolated dregs waste was 99.03%, commercial activated carbon was 99.64%, commercial activated carbon/polyurethane was 99.30%, and neat PU foam reached was 99.96% for this same property and without statistical difference. Those new materials endowed with low cost and high removal efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 as alternatives to conventional adsorbents.

Evaluation of the microbial reduction efficacy and perception of use of an ozonized water spray disinfection technology

The development of new approaches for the decontamination of surfaces is important to deal with the processes related to exposure to contaminated surfaces. Therefore, was evaluated the efficacy of a disinfection technology using ozonized water (0.7–0.9 ppm of O₃) on the surfaces of garments and accessories of volunteers, aiming to reduce the spread of microbial pathogens in the workplace and community. A Log₁₀ microbial reduction of 1.72–2.40 was observed between the surfaces tested. The microbial reductions remained above 60% on most surfaces, and this indicated that the disinfection technology was effective in microbial log reduction regardless of the type of transport used by the volunteers and/or their respective work activities. In association with the evaluation of efficacy, the analysis of the perception of use (approval percentage of 92.45%) was fundamental to consider this technology as an alternative for use as a protective barrier, in conjunction with other preventive measures against microbiological infections, allowing us to contribute to the availability of proven effective devices against the spread of infectious agents in the environment.

Viral Inactivation and Biocompatibility Study of Electrically Activated Water Mist

In addition to the ongoing global problem of healthcare-acquired infections, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a serious threat to the health of the global population. This unprecedented pandemic situation has reinforced the need for the development of technologies that can curb the transmission of viruses among human beings and help to control the infection. Existing disinfection techniques using either ultraviolet light or harsh chemicals pose safety risks and are not suitable for use in the presence of humans. Thus, the need for a safe and effective disinfection technique that can be used in the presence of humans to control viral transmission is evident. A technique that can continuously disinfect air and surfaces in indoor environments, where the chances of viral transmission are high, can be an indispensable tool to fight such a pandemic. The Airlens Minus Corona (AMC) device provided by Persapien Innovations has been developed to achieve this goal. In this study, the antiviral functionality and biocompatibility of AMC were evaluated. Activated water mist (AWM) generated from this device was tested in vitro and in vivo for its toxicity to cell lines and in animal model. The AWM was found to be non-cytotoxic to L-929 cell lines and had no sign of clinical toxicity in an animal model (rabbit). This device was further used to inactivate animal viruses and bacteriophages. The AWM was found to be effective in the complete inactivation of influenza A H1N1 virus within 5 minutes of direct treatment. This device was also found to be effective in inactivating >90% of bacteriophage particles.

Assessment of Dietary and Lifestyle Responses After COVID-19 Vaccine Availability in Selected Arab Countries

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has been consistently associated with unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and dietary practices. This study aimed to assess the dietary and lifestyle behaviors of adults after COVID-19 vaccine availability and their attitude toward the vaccine in selected Arab countries.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted between October 2021 and December 2021 using Google Forms (n = 2259). A multi-component questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine, and behavioral, dietary, and lifestyle responses after easing the restriction. Participants were given a score based on the sum of positive dietary and lifestyle changes. The generalized linear models were used to identify the association between positive dietary and lifestyle changes score and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Weight gain during the pandemic was reported by 39.5% of the participants, 36.1% reported ever getting infected with the COVID-19 virus, and 85% received at least one dose of the vaccine. The key adverse reactions of the COVID-19 vaccine were fatigue, headache, and joint pain, and the main reason for vaccination was protection against infection. Most participants were concerned about the vaccine side effects (45.8%) and inadequate testing (50.7%). After easing of restriction, 54.3% of the participants reduced the frequency of disinfecting objects, and 58.3% joined social events. Most dietary and lifestyle behaviors remained unchanged after vaccine availability but there was an increase in the time spent behind the screen for work (50.1%) and entertainment (42.9%). The results of the multivariate regression analyses revealed that older participants (p = 0.001), those with higher education (p = 0.010), and those working from home (p = 0.040) were more likely to have higher positive dietary and lifestyle changes scores.

Conclusion

Although most participants were concerned about vaccine safety, low vaccine hesitancy rates were observed among the study sample. The availability of the COVID-19 vaccines resulted in loosening some of the safety social measures among Arab adults but the negative impact of the pandemic on dietary and lifestyle behaviors remained unaltered.

A Review on Measures to Rejuvenate Immune System: Natural Mode of Protection Against Coronavirus Infection

SARS-CoV-2, a novel Corona virus strain, was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. As of December 16, 2021, almost 4,822,472 people had died and over 236,132,082 were infected with this lethal viral infection. It is believed that the human immune system is thought to play a critical role in the initial phase of infection when the viruses invade the host cells. Although some effective vaccines have already been on the market, researchers and many bio-pharmaceuticals are still working hard to develop a fully functional vaccine or more effective therapeutic agent against the COVID-19. Other efforts, in addition to functional vaccines, can help strengthen the immune system to defeat the corona virus infection. Herein, we have reviewed some of those proven measures, following which a more efficient immune system can be better prepared to fight viral infection. Among these, dietary supplements like- fresh vegetables and fruits offer a plentiful of vitamins and antioxidants, enabling to build of a healthy immune system. While the pharmacologically active components of medicinal plants directly aid in fighting against viral infection, supplementary supplements combined with a healthy diet will assist to regulate the immune system and will prevent viral infection. In addition, some personal habits, like- regular physical exercise, intermittent fasting, and adequate sleep, had also been proven to aid the immune system in becoming an efficient one. Maintaining each of these will strengthen the immune system, allowing innate immunity to become a more defensive and active antagonistic mechanism against corona-virus infection. However, because dietary treatments take longer to produce beneficial effects in adaptive maturation, personalized nutrition cannot be expected to have an immediate impact on the global outbreak.

A Study on the Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction with Institutional Foodservice during COVID-19

This study used a mixed-methods design combining qualitative and quantitative research to understand the factors affecting customer satisfaction with institutional foodservice during COVID-19. First, in-depth interviews and open coding were conducted with institutional foodservice users, and they indicated that harmonious menu composition, food taste, food temperature, close proximity to the restaurant, clean tableware, staff hygiene, hand sanitizer use, and table dividers were important concepts (qualities). Second, factors affecting customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction with institutional foodservice were analyzed using the Kano model, customer satisfaction coefficient, and importance–satisfaction analysis. The highest priorities derived from those analyses for improving the quality of institutional foodservice were harmonious menu composition and food temperature. This mixed-methods study is meaningful because it comprehensively analyzes the satisfaction factors important to customers of institutional foodservice, which have changed because of COVID-19. Therefore, these results will help to improve institutional foodservice and industrial development.

Disinfectant-induced hormesis: An unknown environmental threat of the application of disinfectants to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Massive additional quantities of disinfectants have been applied during the COVID-19 pandemic as infection preventive and control measures. While the application of disinfectants plays a key role in preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the effects of disinfectants applied during the ongoing pandemic on non-target organisms remain unknown. Here we collated evidence from multiple studies showing that chemicals used for major disinfectant products can induce hormesis in various organisms, such as plants, animal cells, and microorganisms, when applied singly or in mixtures, suggesting potential ecological risks at sub-threshold doses that are normally considered safe. Among other effects, sub-threshold doses of disinfectant chemicals can enhance the proliferation and pathogenicity of pathogenic microbes, enhancing the development and spread of drug resistance. We opine that hormesis should be considered when evaluating the effects and risks of such disinfectants, especially since the linear-no-threshold (LNT) and threshold dose-response models cannot identify or predict their effects.

Mixing at the interface of the sneezing/coughing phenomena and its effect on viral loading

The primary objective of this work is to investigate the mixing of droplets/aerosols, which originates from the sneezing/coughing (of possibly COVID-19 patient) with the ambient atmosphere. Effectively, we are studying the growth/decay of droplets/aerosols in the presence of inhomogeneous mixing, which focuses on the phenomena of entrainment of the (relatively) dry ambient air. We have varied the initial standard deviation, mean radius of the droplets/aerosols size distribution, and humidity of the ambient atmosphere to understand their effects on the final size spectra of droplets. Furthermore, a rigorous error analysis is carried out to understand the relative importance of these effects on the final spectra of droplets/aerosols. We find that these are vital parameters to determine the final spectra of droplets, which govern the broadening of the size spectra. Typically, broadening the size spectra of droplets/aerosols increases the probability of the virus-laden droplets/aerosols and thus could affect the transmission of infection in the ambient atmosphere.

Execution and viable applications of face shield "a safeguard" against viral infections of cross-protection studies: A comprehensive review

Face shield are the unmistakable plastic gatekeepers secures eyes and face, simpler to wear and a group of specialists state face shields may supplant masks as an increasingly agreeable and progressively successful obstacle to COVID-19. Face shields are useful in stopping respiratory droplets from speading from the wearer to others. The droplets, which come into contact with the shield, are quickly spread over a large area, both transversely and vertically, over the shield, but with a shrinking concentration of droplets, as opposed to face masks, which appear to slide under the nose of the wearer or, worse, collapse entirely off the shield. Hence, a face- shield can be considered as personal protective equipment (PPE), which is a first line of resistance, utilized by the clinicians and forefront health workers for protection against the infectious body fluid and aerosols. Face-shields are mainly fabricated using polycarbonate material, because of their excellent optical transparency in UVA-visible-IR spectrum and mechanical properties. The goal of this article is to provide researchers working in the same area, as well as health and industrial staff, with a detailed analysis of the usage of face shields against bioaerosols and the need for personal security. The reviews main focus on the background of the face shield, provide assistance in the selection, its design and structure, applications, advantages and disadvantages. Lastly, people's view about the usage of face shield as it becomes an essential part of human beings like an accomplice during this current pandemic situation.

Drone Application for Spraying Disinfection Liquid Fighting against the COVID-19 Pandemic—Examining Drone-Related Parameters Influencing Effectiveness

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused very serious problems almost to the whole world, so every opportunity must be considered to improve the situation. One such improvement strategy is decontamination carried out from the air. This technique can be considered for surface clearance of larger areas; hence, there is the need to investigate its effectiveness regarding the pandemic. There are many examples of the use of drones for disinfection to improve epidemic situations, but good practices, as well as factors influencing effectiveness, have not yet been identified. In the case of using drones for disinfection during a pandemic, the adapted use of agricultural drones is clear from reports. In this paper, the authors performed calculations with different values of flight speed (10 to 50 km/h), flight altitude (1 to 5 m), and flow rate (1 to 5 L/min) to determine the possible amount of disinfectant fluid per unit area. The results show that by changing the parameters, the amount of disinfectant per unit area can be given within quite wide limits (30–0.24 g/m2). Although the results raise many new questions, they can help to identify adequate flight parameters depending on different disinfectant liquids.

Highly Efficient and Rapid Inactivation of Coronavirus on Non-Metal Hydrophobic Laser-Induced Graphene in Mild Conditions

The prevalence of COVID-19 has caused global dysfunction in terms of public health, sustainability, and socio-economy. While vaccination shows potential in containing the spread, the development of surfaces that effectively reduces virus transmission and infectivity is also imperative, especially amid the early stage of the pandemic. However, most virucidal surfaces are operated under harsh conditions, making them impractical or potentially unsafe for long-term use. Here, it is reported that laser-induced graphene (LIG) without any metal additives shows marvelous antiviral capacities for coronavirus. Under low solar irradiation, the virucidal efficacy of the hydrophobic LIG (HLIG) against HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E can achieve 97.5% and 95%, respectively. The photothermal effect and the hydrophobicity of the HLIG synergistically contribute to the superior inactivation capacity. The stable antiviral performance of HLIG enables its multiple uses, showing advantages in energy saving and environmental protection. This work discloses a potential method for antiviral applications and has implications for the future development of antiviral materials.

Developments in Nano-materials and Analysing its role in Fighting COVID-19

Nanomaterials like silver, iron, ceramic, graphene carbon nanotubes, etc. These are used to develop and create multifunctional materials to fight the corona virus. This work focuses on analyzing and discussing the developments of Nano-materials and their effectiveness in fighting and preventing the spread of the corona virus. The paper also analyses the use of Nano-materials in the development of vaccines and anti-viral drugs. However, the use of carbon-based materials like carbon dots and other forms of carbon has not only helped in increasing the protection levels in human life but also provided greater security and freedom for people to carry out day-to-day activities without any fear of being infected by the virus. The application of graphene-based materials for making unique face masks and germ trap technologies is presented. Nano-compounds blended with hand sanitizers have played an active role in the control of coronavirus along with soap-based liquids that are used for handwashing. Some of the Nano-materials like gold nanoparticles are extensively used in the making of detection devices like RT-PCR, etc. The use of Nano-polymer coatings has created a safe environment for users by preventing the spread of coronavirus through surfaces. Different coating methods used for the application of nanomaterials are explained with suitable technical interpretations The anti-viral efficiency of different coatings is also discussed through surfaces. Nano-materials and contributions from the synthetic biology area have helped to develop vaccines and anti-viral drugs which are presently used to cure and prevent the spread of coronavirus infected patients. The method followed in analyzing the Nano-materials and their applications mainly focused on tracing the development and applications of Nano-materials. This analysis proves and shows that Nano-materials are playing a vital role in fighting the corona virus.

Technological Advances in Ozone and Ozonized Water Spray Disinfection Devices

To control infectious diseases such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (Covid-19) that caused the current pandemic, disinfection measures are essential. Among building measures, disinfection chambers can help to decrease the transmission rate through the sanitizing capacity of the disinfectant used, which can thereby clean surfaces or humans. Out of existing biocides, ozone is considered one of the safest for humans, but one of the most powerful oxidizers, making the substance a better alternative as the biocidal solution in disinfection chambers. Analyses were carried out by using all patented documents related to disinfection chambers that used ozone as a disinfectant. A Derwent Innovation Index (DII) database search was undertaken to find these patents. Patent prospecting resulted in 620 patent documents that were divided into 134 patent families. There was no technology related to protective barriers for individuals, and the majority of patents in the retrieved data aimed at sterilizing medical devices and surfaces. Given that the specific Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) code for ozone dissolved in liquid was used in the methodology search, but not included among the 10 most used codes in the patents, the use of ozonized water may be an innovative approach in the technology landscape of sterilization chambers.