COVID-19: Get your masks disinfected the easy way! As the world battles Coronavirus pandemic, wearing a mask before doing anything becomes the utmost preventive measure. However, it has become a hassle for many people given that many masks can only be used once and people have to go and buy new ones on a frequent basis. In order to prevent this problem that could lead to shortage in the stock for masks, IIT-Delhi has come up with a way to disinfect and reuse N95 masks. In a bid to fight against the novel Coronavirus, IIT-Delhi’s incubated startup Chakr innovation has recently come up with ‘Chakr DeCoV’ that will help decontaminate N95 masks, according to a video shared by DD News.
It is to note that N95, due to its ability of keeping the smallest droplets in the air outside, has been recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the health experts. It is used widely by health personnels and all the workers battling the viral infection in the front line.
According to the video, Chakr DeCoV has been designed with an innovative decontamination mechanism and it appears in a form of cabinet, inside which masks can be placed. According to the video, the cabinet possesses a UVC bulb for ozone generation and the gas is passed through the mask. The ozone gas generated has a higher penetration ability that can clean the pores of N95 masks. IIT-Delhi has claimed that the process ensures complete decontamination of all layers in the mask. Notably, ozone being a strong oxidizing agent can destroy the virus due to a diffusion via protein coat. This damages the viral RNA.
Further, it is expected that proper dosage as well as right exposure to the ozone within the cabinet will help in inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 and reduction of bacterial content by 99.99 per cent. After the masks are decontaminated, they can be used and reused up to 10 times. This will not impact the efficiency of the filtration.
