NJIT's Mitra Deploys Nanoscopic Virus Killers in the Fight Against COVID-19

As medical researchers race to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, an NJIT scientist who specializes in nanomaterials is developing new methods to slow its spread in the environment.

Backed by a grant from the National Science Foundation, Somenath Mitra, director of the university’s Otto York Center for Environmental Engineering and Science, seeks to embed antiviral agents in a range of wearable gear and filtration systems, from personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and gowns, to air and water filters at healthcare facilities. His engineered agents would be composed of carbon nanotubes with antiviral molecules attached to them.

“The goal of this project is to generate antiviral functionalized carbon nanotubes which will have several applications related to the COVID-19 outbreak and beyond. Carbon nanotubes are useful here because they are very strong, disperse well, form chemical bonds easily and are highly absorptive,” Mitra said, noting that paints and coatings contain them to enhance their surface strength and to add electrical properties that reduce corrosion.

“The antiviral nanotubes embedded in PPE would trap the virus molecules while the antiviral agents would kill them, thus preventing the spread of COVID-19 via surface contacts,” he explained.

Providing healthcare facilities, such as pandemic field hospitals, with carbon nanotube-enhanced air filtration systems and medical grade water to clean equipment such as ventilators and for use in injectable patient treatments, are two other applications he is exploring.

“While air filters may not be able to remove all virus molecules in the air that circulates in hospitals, our aim, at least at first, would be to substantially decrease the viral load,” Mitra said. “The high-purity water hospitals use, which is delivered in bottles, is very expensive, and so we would like to establish filtration systems that allow them to produce it on-site.”

A primary goal, Mitra said, is to develop biocidal nanotubes into a point-of-care technology that could generate medical grade water in field hospitals.

His research on antiviral agents is an extension of his previous work on filtration systems that target bacteria. Over the past 15 years, he has created a novel architecture for the membrane distillation process by immobilizing carbon nanotubes, which are an atom thick and about 10,000 times smaller than a human hair in diameter, in the membrane pores. A key characteristic of carbon nanotubes, he notes, is their capacity to rapidly absorb contaminants and then release them relatively easily.

“Our aim is to develop widely applicable technologies that we can use against a variety of pathogens, including viruses and bacteria, in future pandemics,” Mitra said. “Furthermore, we expect to expand the capabilities of nanotechnology in disease prevention and medical infrastructure.”

His work on carbon nanotubes has wide-ranging applications in many other areas, such as polymer composites, thin films and nanoelectronics. He developed, for example, flexible, bendable batteries using carbon nanotube composites which can be painted on flexible substrates with an inkjet or screen printer. Through nanotube technology, he has also advanced the development of devices for use in the continuous real-time monitoring of pollutants.