A plastic film can kill viruses using room lights

Researchers have developed a plastic film that can kill viruses that land on its surface with room light. The self-sterilizing film is the first of its kind—it is low cost to produce, can be readily scaled and could be used for disposable aprons, tablecloths, and curtains in hospitals. It is coated with a thin layer of particles that absorb UV light and produce reactive Oxygen species. These kill viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.

The breakthrough could lead to a significant reduction in the transmission of viruses in healthcare environments but also in other settings that uses plastic films—for example, food production factories.

The researchers tested the film for anti-viral activity using four different viruses. They found that the film is effective at killing all of the viruses—even in a room lit with just white fluorescent tubes.

This is a hugely exciting development which has the potential to dramatically reduce the transmission of viruses across a wide range of settings while being environmentally sustainable.