Microbial disinfection for personal protection equipment
Inventors
Chen, James Chongchu • Bjornson, Celesta Jane • Bjornson, John David • Chen, LuAnn Lawton • Chen, Stephanie Marie Chong-Ming • Hoang, Daniel Duong • Lendvay, Kathleen Clare • Rolley, Paul Deven
Assignees
Publication Number
US-11925717-B2
Publication Date
2024-03-12
Expiration Date
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Abstract
A photosensitizer formulation can be disposed on or in a mesh; net; netting; screen; curtain of strands, fibers, or monofilaments; substrate, personal protective gear, mask, or any other suitable object. The photosensitizer formulation, when in contact with molecular oxygen and activated by light or ultrasound, produces microbicidal singlet oxygen. A variety of different arrangements and applications are described. For example, an air flow device may also be included to generate a flow of air through or over the photosensitizer formulation. A fluorescent formulation may be included to monitor photobleaching. The photosensitizer formulation may be disposed in a concentration gradient to generate antigenic particles by damaging or destroying microbes.
Core Innovation
A photosensitizer formulation disposed on or in a mesh, net, netting, screen, curtain of strands, fibers, or monofilaments, substrate, personal protective gear, mask, or any other suitable object produces microbicidal singlet oxygen in the presence of molecular oxygen when activated by light or ultrasound. The photosensitizer formulation, when activated, generates singlet oxygen or other reactive species which are microbicidal and can produce antimicrobial or virucidal action by reaction with microbial constituents.
The invention addresses variable protection and comfort limitations of existing personal protective equipment (PPE) and the toxicity concerns of commonly used disinfectants such as bleach and alcohol-based products, noting a need for PPE alternatives that are more comfortable while still effective at the prevention of infection and for disinfection products suitable for a variety of pathogenic microbial and viral exposure situations. The disclosure emphasizes applications where PPE effectiveness varies and where prolonged contact in high-risk environments can result in user infection despite existing barrier or filtration materials.
Various embodiments describe articles and assemblies including air flow devices, light sources, fluorescent formulations to monitor photobleaching, concentration gradients of photosensitizer formulations to generate antigenic particles, solid or granulated formulations in optically transparent containers, nets, films, headgear, pouches for disinfecting masks, bubblers, airborne devices, and kits and sensors to support deployment and monitoring of the photosensitizer formulation to produce singlet oxygen for microbicidal effect.
Claims Coverage
One independent claim is identified and three main inventive features are extracted from the independent claim.
Substrate arranged as a mask or face covering
A substrate that is arranged as one or more of a mask or a face covering.
Photosensitizer formulation disposed on or in the substrate
A photosensitizer formulation disposed on, or disposed in, the substrate along one or more dimensions of the substrate.
Ultrasound-activated generation and propulsion of microbicidal singlet oxygen producing immunogenic particles
Activation of the photosensitizer formulation, by radiation with one or more ultrasound wavelengths, generates microbicidal singlet oxygen in the presence of molecular oxygen configured to cause damage to one or more microbes to produce one or more immunogenic particles for inhalation by a user, wherein the ultrasound radiation is arranged to propel molecules of microbial singlet oxygen.
The independent claim covers an article formed as a mask or face covering with a photosensitizer formulation disposed on or in the substrate and an ultrasound-based activation arrangement that generates and propels microbicidal singlet oxygen to damage microbes and produce immunogenic particles.
Stated Advantages
Provides microbicidal singlet oxygen generation for antimicrobial and virucidal action when the photosensitizer formulation is activated by light or ultrasound.
Offers PPE alternatives that are more comfortable to a user while still being effective at the prevention of infection, normalizing verbal communication and breathing, and likely acceptable for a majority of the general population.
Avoids reliance on potentially toxic disinfectants such as bleach and alcohol-based products by providing active antimicrobial and antiviral disinfection via photoactivated reactive species.
Enables on-demand, rapid disinfection and convenient reuse of masks, nets, meshes, or other articles using photoactivated photosensitizer formulations and portable disinfection devices.
Includes fluorescent monitoring to detect photobleaching and guide reapplication of photosensitizer formulation or detect counterfeit formulations.
Allows generation of antigenic particles by damaging or destroying microbes on concentration gradients of photosensitizer formulation to potentially stimulate mucosal immune responses.
Documented Applications
Coating or disposing photosensitizer formulations on masks, face coverings, gowns, head coverings, face shields, gloves, shoe covers, and other personal protective equipment for microbicidal singlet oxygen generation.
Applying photosensitizer formulations to nets, netting, meshes, screens, curtains of strands, fibers, or monofilaments, and films for use as active antiviral shields, wearable face coverings, head nets, or enclosure structures.
Transparent containers, perforated discs, pouches, and disinfection devices incorporating photosensitizer formulations and light sources to disinfect masks, nets, meshes, or other items on demand.
Incorporation of photosensitizer formulations into air flow devices, fans, blowers, hollow tubes, or bubblers to generate and disperse singlet oxygen or singlet oxygen-containing bubbles into ambient air.
Use of wearable assemblies such as hats, helmets, headgear with deployable nets or curtains coated with photosensitizer formulations to protect users and permit storage and deployment mechanisms.
Application of photosensitizer formulations to textiles, garments, paper products, wipes, towels, and reusable materials for surface and skin disinfection and cleaning applications.
Incorporation of photosensitizer formulations into washing machine or rotating drum arrangements and into cleaning devices for disinfection of garments and sports equipment.
Use of photosensitizer formulations in eye, nasal, oral or mucosal applications (e.g., as formulations applied to conjunctival area, mouthguard, chewing gum, or skin formulations) to enable local photoactivation for disinfection and potential immune stimulation.
Generation of antigenic fragments via graduated photosensitizer concentrations on substrates to produce immunogenic particles for inhalation and assessment of mucosal immune responses with saliva SIgA test kits.
Dispersal of photosensitizer formulations and singlet oxygen using airborne devices such as drones to shower users or spaces with microbicidal singlet oxygen.
Use of fluorescent indicators and fluorescence detectors to monitor photobleaching of photosensitizer formulations and to guide reapplication or detect counterfeit products.
Kits and packaged articles that include nets, screens, head nets, rods or struts, photosensitizer formulation dispensers, applicators, light sources, and optional monitoring devices for deployment in settings such as nursing homes, schools, hospitals, or animal enclosures.
Use of chitosan or chitosan derivatives combined with photosensitizers to form breathable, hydrophobic, splash-resistant fabrics or liquid formulations for textiles and disinfectant sprays.
Integration of sensors, RFID tags, QR codes, or packaging sensors to document, track, and analyze use data for product deployment and effectiveness monitoring.
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