Rapid Decontamination System of PPE and Medical Equipment for Reuse using Flexible Non-thermal Plasma Generator

本项目旨在开发一种方法和程序，使用非热等离子体对口罩/消毒器进行消毒，以便安全地重复使用。由于呼吸器是保护前线医护人员免受COVID-19感染的基本个人防护装备（PPE），N95/N99口罩的长期全球短缺是对我们从冠状病毒中拯救生命的集体能力的最紧迫威胁之一。可能需要将口罩的重复使用视为一种危机处理能力战略，以确保持续可用性，尽管大多数口罩被视为一次性使用。此外，环保人士警告说，一次性口罩正在加剧威胁海洋和海洋生物健康的塑料污染。在该项目中，我们正在开发一种快速安全的干法去污方法，采用最先进的等离子技术和印刷电子技术。拟议的方法将利用非热等离子体的杀病毒能力来净化口罩，而不使用生物杀灭化学品，也不留下任何化学残留物。该项目的具体目标包括：（1）制备和验证冠状病毒样本;（2）开发等离子体净化系统;（3）量化等离子体处理前后生物样本的浓度和分布情况;（4）确定生物样本的浓度和分布情况;（5）确定生物样本的浓度和分布情况。（4）测量等离子体处理对面罩性能的影响;（5）量化病毒灭活效率;以及（6）整理和解释结果以评估该概念的功效、前景和潜在实施途径。通过开放口罩的重复使用，该项目将为当前全球口罩短缺的PPE短缺提供新的解决方案，并最大限度地减少塑料污染。

This project aims to develop a method and procedure for decontaminating mask/respirators using non-thermal plasma for safely reuse. As a respirator is a basic personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect frontline healthcare workers against COVID-19, the chronic, global shortage of N95/N99 masks is one of the most urgent threats to our collective ability to save lives from the coronavirus. The reuse of masks may need to be considered as a crisis capacity strategy to ensure continued availability, even though most of the masks are considered one-time use. Moreover, a single-use mask is adding to the glut of plastic pollution threatening the health of oceans and marine life, environmentalists warn.In this project, we are developing a rapid and safe dry decontamination method through adapting the state-of-art plasma technologies and printed electronics. The proposing approach will use the viricidal capability of non-thermal plasmas to decontaminate masks without using biocidal chemicals and remaining any chemical residues. The project will ensure the safe reuse of masks with maintaining structural and functional integrity with the biological and material assessments.Specific objectives of the project include (1) preparing and validating coronavirus samples; (2) developing a plasma decontamination system; (3) quantifying concentration and distribution of biological samples before and after plasma treatment; (4) measuring the effect of plasma treatment on mask performance; (5) quantifying viral inactivation efficiency; and (6) collating and interpreting results to assess the efficacy, promise, and potential implementation pathway for the concept. Through opening up re-use of masks, this project will provide a new solution for current PPE shortage for acute global mask shortage and minimise plastic pollution.