This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
As the world continues to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic, scientists are racing to develop new technologies to combat the spread of the virus indoors.
One such innovation is the use of heated nickel air filters, which have been shown to be highly effective in eliminating airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus.
A research team at the Texas Center for Superconductivity at University of Houston and Galveston National Laboratory has demonstrated the efficiency of these filters, which use an ultra-fine foam made of nickel to capture the tiniest of microbes.
By heating the foam to 200 degrees Celsius, the researchers were able to eliminate 99.8 percent of airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus from a room on first pass.
Another technology being developed is a new type of UVC lamp, which operates on a shorter wavelength of 222 nanometers, making it safe for humans but still lethal to microbes.
Researchers at Columbia University have been working on this technology for several years and have shown that it can kill 99.9 percent of seasonal coronaviruses present in airborne droplets.
Japanese company Ushio has already started selling far-UVC lamps in the US, but says ongoing studies on their safety will decide when they are ready for occupied spaces.
Long-lasting antimicrobial surface coatings are also being developed as a new line of defense against SARS-CoV-2.
Researchers at the University of Arizona have proposed widespread use of these coatings, which can reduce the amount of a coronavirus closely related to SARS-CoV-2 on a surface by 90 percent in 10 minutes.
