A report produced by Ankara University, Turkey, detailing the results of a preliminary study of modified graphene materials for use against SARS-CoV-2, concludes that these materials significantly inhibit viral infection and possess anti-viral activity towards SARS-CoV-2.
The study was undertaken to test, in a laboratory environment, the hypothesis that graphene nanoplatelets doped with metal oxide nanoparticles, as produced by the Versarien group, UK, can inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
Two graphene nanoplatelet batches doped with different metal oxide nanoparticles, GNA-22 and GNA-24 were tested to determine the antiviral effect. Initial results showed a log 4 reduction of SARS-CoV-2 using GNA 22 (approximately 99.99% inhibition) and a log 2 reduction using GNA 24 (approximately 99% inhibition). These results were statistically highly significant with a p-value of less than 0.0001.
Versarien plans to move to rapid testing of these materials in real-world applications such as face masks, clothing and surface treatments.
