Disinfectant News and Research

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Can COVID-19 spread through water while swimming?

Scientists explore the evidence on COVID-19 transmission associated with swimming-related activities and the effect of recommended strategies to restrict it.

1 Nov 2021

CDC lab testing identifies deadly bacteria in an aromatherapy spray

Laboratory testing at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei in an aromatherapy spray -; the same type of bacteria that sickened four people in the United States earlier this year.

22 Oct 2021

Potent extended anti- SARS-CoV-2 effect of titanium dioxide surface coatings

A team of researchers has explored the possibility of coating surfaces with TiO2 as a tool to inactivate SARS-CoV-2.

7 Oct 2021

Research shows ozone as a potential disinfectant agent in public transport

The Hydrens team of researchers developed a numerical model that estimates the ozone concentration needed to meet the disinfection criteria. To do this, it takes into account the geometry and volume of the space to be treated, the type of materials inside it and their capacity to absorb ozone, and the characteristics of the impulsion-distribution system used.

24 Sep 2021

California’s reboot of troubled Medi-Cal puts pressure on health plans

When Denise Williams' baby boy was 2 months old, she became alarmed by a rattling sound in his lungs and took him to the emergency room. While undergoing treatment, he spiraled into a disabling neurological disorder.

21 Sep 2021

New protocol for donning and doffing personal protective equipment during home visits

Researchers describe a protocol for donning and doffing personal protective equipment in home settings for health care professionals who must interact with patients potentially infected with COVID-19. This protocol addresses gaps in COVID-19 related guidelines, specifically the process of donning and doffing PPE during home visits while supplementing PPE guidelines and protocols. To create the protocol, the researchers used an interactive, rapid-prototyping approach.

17 Sep 2021

Nanoparticle-based disinfectant could be a powerful weapon against pathogenic viruses

University of Central Florida researchers have developed a nanoparticle-based disinfectant that can continuously kill viruses on a surface for up to seven days – a discovery that could be a powerful weapon against COVID-19 and other emerging pathogenic viruses.

1 Sep 2021

Study paves the way to a new drug design concept

Hydrogen peroxide reacts with copper to produce hydroxyl radicals with strong antibacterial properties. However, this requires high copper concentrations because two copper atoms have to come close together, which occurs by chance.

31 Jul 2021

Rosin soap as a potential SARS-CoV-2 disinfectant

In a research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv* by Bell et al. (July 19th, 2021), the potential of rosin soap as a virucide is investigated, finding a ten-thousand-fold drop in infectivity against enveloped viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 in particular.

26 Jul 2021

Study examines SARS-CoV-2's inactivation across a range of UVC wavelengths

A recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv* describes the disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 using UVC irradiation at different wavelengths.

11 Jul 2021

Is liquid chalk an effective disinfectant of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses?

A recent study, published in the American Society for Microbiology’s journal, mSphere, evaluated the use of many liquid chalk products as antiseptics against the transmission of highly pathogenic human viruses such as influenza A virus (H1N1), SARS-CoV-2, (IAV), and norovirus in a mouse norovirus (MNV) model. The researchers applied chalk before or after virus inoculum and determined the recovery of infectious virus to mimic its use in the gym setting.

22 Jun 2021

Study reports self-disinfecting polymer surfaces that can inactivate SARS-CoV-2

Surfaces with anionic block copolymers can inactivate different viruses within minutes by making the polymer-microbe interface very acidic. Such surfaces can continuously disinfect surfaces without the need for reapplication of disinfectant.

14 Jun 2021

Toxic man-made chemicals that end up in the environment highlight regulation challenges

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have conducted two of the first studies in New England to collectively show that toxic man-made chemicals called PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances), found in everything from rugs to product packaging, end up in the environment differently after being processed through wastewater treatment facilities--making it more challenging to set acceptable screening levels.

27 May 2021

Hit by higher prices for gear, doctors and dentists want insurers to pay

Treating patients has become more expensive during the pandemic, and doctors and dentists don't want to be on the hook for all the new costs.

5 May 2021

Simple application of UVC light could make common disinfectants safer to use

Over 400 common disinfectants currently in use could be made safer for people and the environment and could better fight the COVID-19 virus with the simple application of UVC light, a new study from the University of Waterloo shows.

3 May 2021

Study offers a non-invasive avenue for monitoring buildings for COVID-19 outbreaks

A study done in rooms where COVID-19 patients were isolated shows that the virus's RNA - part of the genetic material inside a virus - can persist up to a month in dust.

13 Apr 2021

Could visible light be a safe and effective SARS-CoV-2 disinfectant?

A new study reports that blue light with a wavelength of 400–420 nm can inactivate enveloped viruses like SARS-CoV-2 and influenza. This could allow continuous disinfection of spaces even when people are present.

17 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 can spread through cold-chain transport

In light of growing evidence, researchers say that SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission via contaminated surfaces, and in particular, frozen foods and products that are transported while keeping them at low temperatures, should be taken into account when devising prevention strategies.

16 Mar 2021

To extract more doses per vial, vaccinators put squeeze on FDA to relax vaccine handling advice

President Joe Biden has promised enough covid vaccine to immunize every willing adult by June 1. But right now, the gap between supply and demand is so dramatic that vaccinators are discovering ways to suck the final drops out of each vaccine vial — if federal regulators will let them.

12 Mar 2021

Scientists optimize wastewater disinfection process to minimize spread of antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become a global threat today, owing in part to the efficiency with which resistance spreads among them. Some of this spread happens in waterbodies—and our wastewater systems are no exception.

8 Mar 2021