Oxidative Inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 on Photoactive AgNPs@TiO₂ Ceramic Tiles

• Main Authors: Ridha Djellabi, Nicoletta Basilico, Serena Delbue, Sarah D’Alessandro, Silvia Parapini, Giuseppina Cerrato, Enzo Laurenti, Ermelinda Falletta, Claudia Letizia Bianchi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: <i>SARS-CoV-2</i>; photocatalytic inactivation; surface transmission; AgNPs@TiO₂; photoactive tiles
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/16/8836
• ISSN: 1661-6596; 1422-0067

The current <i>SARS-CoV-2</i> pandemic causes serious public health, social, and economic issues all over the globe. Surface transmission has been claimed as a possible <i>SARS-CoV-2</i> infection route, especially in heavy contaminated environmental surfaces, including hospitals and crowded public places. Herein, we studied the deactivation of <i>SARS-CoV-2</i> on photoactive AgNPs@TiO₂ coated on industrial ceramic tiles under dark, UVA, and LED light irradiations. <i>SARS-CoV-2</i> inactivation is effective under any light/dark conditions. The presence of AgNPs has an important key to limit the survival of <i>SARS-CoV-2</i> in the dark; moreover, there is a synergistic action when TiO₂ is decorated with Ag to enhance the virus photocatalytic inactivation even under LED. The radical oxidation was confirmed as the the central mechanism behind <i>SARS-CoV-2</i> damage/inactivation by ESR analysis under LED light. Therefore, photoactive AgNPs@TiO₂ ceramic tiles could be exploited to fight surface infections, especially during viral severe pandemics.