Studies have indicated that pathogens die within minutes of landing on the metal’s surface. Could copper masks be the next shield in our armour? By Amit Goel
The world where we could move around freely without taking any major precautions or feeling conscious does not exist anymore. It has now become unimaginable to roam without a mask on the face and a sanitiser in the pocket. It’s a need and not as a choice. However, with this, we definitely need to look at how effortless it is becoming with each passing day as people are accepting this new accessory as part of the lifestyle. It’s also encouraging the apparel and cloth manufacturers to come up with quirky designs and trends in making wearable safety equipment and masks.
However, how to know that the material used for producing these masks ensure safety?
Experts, in terms of protective equipment of maximum capacity, have recently suggested a new material — copper — to produce face masks. When we think of material that can be used to protect ourselves, we are not usually receptive to the idea of copper or any other metal replacing the conventional surgical mask or the N95. To clear the doubt, it isn’t a hard metal fragment shaped like a mask. It is a thin anti-microbial copper mesh that can be designed to fit everyone.
How is it effective?
There are several reasons why this idea is getting a new lease of life. Ever since COVID-19 began to wreak havoc across the globe, scientists and academics have been scurrying to their laboratories to bring out solutions to fight the spread of the novel Coronavirus. When it comes to testing materials, which repel viruses effectively, studies suggest that copper is an anti-microbial metal and most of the viruses and bacteria die within a few hours of coming in contact with it. Some more observations about the metal indicate that some pathogens die within minutes of landing on copper surfaces.
According to a research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the virus becomes inactive within four hours of coming in contact with copper. Considering the effectiveness of this metal in killing the virus, it would be a wise decision for global health institutions like WHO, as well as governments in COVID-19-impacted countries to pass guidelines on the preparation of masks that contain copper.
It fights microbes
Over the past few months, businesses have begun to use anti-microbial copper films for several applications at public places, workplaces and stores. The technology behind the film is proving to be effective in immediately starting the deactivation of viruses like COVID-19 and killing them within minutes. Since copper and its alloys have a self-sterilising effect on anything that comes in contact with the metal, it is considered an apt solution.
It is one of the very few products approved by the US’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is being recognised as the best possible solution to protect surfaces and places exposed to people. From office desks, door handles, elevator buttons to touch pads, ATMs and several other surfaces, the non-adhesive and adhesive variants of copper films are helping eliminate 99.9 per cent of dangerous microbes. This is also helping customers do the work of alcohol-based agents like disinfectants and sanitisers more effectively.
Understand the science
When the copper material or film comes in contact with a hazardous microbe, the microbe gets attracted by the copper ion. As it could be a nutrient, it tries to absorb it into the cell. However, the copper ion penetrates the cell membrane and effectively creates the loss of water and other nutrients. Further to this, it obliterates other reactive or non-reactive oxygen species, hitting at the core of the living aspects of micro-organisms. The loss of all the elements destabilises its metabolism, stopping the respiratory and reproductive activity, forcing it to perish.
History is evidence
Going back millennia, our ancestors passed down the tradition of using copper utensils and vessels in our everyday lives for a great reason. They had identified the usefulness and positive effects of the shiny metal on people’s health. Unfortunately, their utility has been minimised due to the proliferation of other metals and materials, which are either cheaper or available ubiquitously. Nevertheless, as a natural anti-biotic and microbe killer, their use can be broadened and experimented with to derive the best solutions.
Beyond more than hundred years of legacy, not many are aware about how a physician named Victor Burg used copper during the Cholera epidemic. He had found out that copper could be effective in fighting the spread of the disease. He made this observation after meeting a smelter who worked on copper, who most likely ingested copper and did not get affected by the disease even after being directly exposed to it.
Hence, with the current health crisis going out of hand and the numbers increasing incessantly, it is important to take this up-scale, provide copper-based anti-microbial solutions through masks or films, and spread awareness about it. An anti-microbial copper mask isn’t dissimilar to a regular mask and this should pique your curiosity. It has copper infused into the wearable material and manufacturers are expecting it to be a game changer in tackling the further spread of novel coronavirus.
Need of the hour
India is closing in on the three million COVID-19 positive cases and the country is far from finding tangible long-term solutions to the health crisis. Nation-wide lockdown for extended durations are not an easy option anymore as people must adjust to the new reality. However, the government, public health institutions and MSMEs have a tremendous opportunity at their disposal to find ingenious ways to integrate copper-based solutions in their fight against the Coronavirus spread. It is prudent that private players get into manufacturing copper masks, in line with our population and its requirements, while finding suitable partners who can democratise production, reduce its costs and make it inexpensive and easily affordable.
(The writer is founder of waste management service, Knam Marketing.)