Full Title: Use of ozone for the reuse of personal protective equipment (PPE). Study O3-CoVid19-PPE.

Funded by: Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Covid-19 Fund (COV20_00702)

Grant awarded: €109,744.00

Duration: 6 months

Principal Investigator: Bernardino Clavo Varas

Collaborating Researchers: Pedro Serrano Aguilar, Jesús Villar Hernández, Francisco J. Rodríguez Esparragón, Jacob Lorenzo Morales, Antonio Martínez Riera, Raquel Montiel González, Jesús María González Martin, José Luis Martin Barrasa, Cristina Torres Ascensión, Elizabeth Córdoba Lanús, José E. Piñero Barroso.

Objectives:

Primary Objectives: Confirm the potential capacity of ozone to inactivate CoVid19 by establishing: 1) an optimal exposure time (the shortest possible while maintaining full efficacy) to inactivate CoVid19 at high concentrations (70-80 µg/ml); 2) optimal exposure concentrations to inactivate CoVid19 within a short and reasonable time period (1 – 5 minutes).

Secondary Objectives: Assess potential differences in viral load between: 3) different PPE components; 4) different professionals.

Methodology:

Summary of viral load analysis procedure: For each item to be analyzed, 2 samples will be collected using swabs, which will be preserved in UTM 3ML RT transport medium (COPAN, Biomerieux). RNA will be extracted using the Maxwell 16S system (Promega, Madison, USA). Detection of SARS-CoV-2 will be performed using the singleplex TaqManTM 2019-nCoV kit (Thermo Fisher, Waltham, USA), already validated at IUETSPC-ULL using the manufacturer’s protocol with slight modifications. This kit amplifies three SARS-CoV-2 genes (ORF1ab, S protein, and N protein) with the RNase P RPPH1 human gene as a control.

Contact Person: Bernardino Clavo Varas