Plastic film kills viruses with room light

The self-sterilising film, described as the first of its kind, is low cost, scalable and could be used for disposable aprons, tablecloths, and curtains in hospitals.

It is coated with a thin layer of titanium dioxide particles that absorb UV light and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) that kill viruses including SARS2. The technology used to create the film also ensures it is degradable.

According to QUB, the breakthrough could lead to a significant reduction in the transmission of viruses in healthcare environments but also in other settings that make use of plastic films.

The Queen’s researchers tested the film for anti-viral activity using two strains of influenza A virus, a highly-stable picornavirus called EMCV and SARS2, exposing it to UVA radiation or with light from a cool white light fluorescent lamp. They found that the film is effective at killing all of the viruses, even in a room lit only with white fluorescent tubes.