Currently, no medicine has demonstrated efficacy in treating the ongoing pandemic COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus. Being a potent oxidant, ozone is lethal against most bacteria and viruses found in water, or on surfaces and aerosols. Ozone has also been successfully used to treat several viral diseases such as Ebola and HIV Hepatitis B and C. Using molecular modeling, this study evaluated the reactivity of ozone toward representative key molecules in the structure of SARS-CoV-2. The results show that ozone is able to attack the proteins and lipids of the virus’s spikes and envelope, particularly the amino acids tryptophan, methionine and cysteine, and the fatty acids, arachidonic acid, linoleic acid, and oleic acid. Ozone also attacks the N-glycopeptides of the spike protein subunits 1 and 2, though at lower reactivity. Disruption of the structure of SARS-CoV-2 could inactivate the virus, suggesting that ozone could be an effective oxidant against COVID-19 virus. If incorrectly applied, ozone is toxic and contact with the respiratory tract must be avoided.

This study evaluated the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, by ozone using virus grown in cell culture media either dried on surfaces (plastic, glass, stainless steel, copper, and coupons of ambulance seat and floor) or suspended in liquid. Treatment in liquid reduced SARS-CoV-2 at a rate of 0.92 ± 0.11 log₁₀-reduction per ozone CT dose(mg min/L); where CT is ozone concentration times exposure time. On surface, the synergistic effect of CT and relative humidity (RH) was key to virus inactivation; the rate varied from 0.01 to 0.27 log₁₀-reduction per ozone CT value(g min/m³) as RH varied from 17% to 70%. Depletion of ozone by competitive reactions with the medium constituents, mass transfer limiting the penetration of ozone to the bulk of the medium, and occlusion of the virus in dried matrix were postulated as potential mechanisms that reduce ozone efficacy. RH70% was found plausible since it provided the highest disinfection rate while being below the critical RH that promotes mould growth in buildings. In conclusion, through careful choice of (CT, RH), gaseous ozone is effective against SARS-CoV-2 and our results are of significance to a growing field where ozone is applied to control the spread of COVID-19.

Four indispensable constituents of electrochemical biosensors for EDCs detection in water: effective signal transduction pathways, highly conductive electrodes, various functional additives for surface modification, and biorecognition elements.

COVID-19 pandemic has created chaos in almost every walk of life. The harsh impact of the disease is mainly rooted to the rapid and easy spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus through airborne and fomite routes. Thus, disinfection of contaminated surfaces and air is important to hamper COVID-19 disease transmission. Ozone being a potent gaseous disinfectant has been utilized to inactivate a wide-range of viruses and has more recently gained interest in the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2. This article critically reviews the current state-of-knowledge on disinfection of surface-adhered and airborne SARS-CoV-2 by ozone. The transmission and survival characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 alongside the specificity of ozone inactivation process are reviewed. Distinct focus is then given to reviewing the status of ozone inactivation of surface-adhered and airborne SARS-CoV-2 in terms of experimental investigations, kinetics, and influence of the operational factors on the inactivation process. Ozone inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 is compared to other enveloped viruses, and the challenges and future prospects of ozone inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 are also addressed. Graphical Abstract