ABSTRACT
Infectious diseases caused by different pathogens (parasites, protozoa, bacteria, viruses, and fungi) have affected the world at various times in the form of epidemics and pandemics. The coronavirus has also directly affected the world's economy and public health. Various drugs such as antibiotics, antimicrobials, antifungals, and antivirals have been investigated to combat these diseases. However, these fatal infections are still a major concern because of their transmission through contaminated surfaces, human-to-human contact, airborne diffusion, and microbial resistance. Therefore, considerable efforts are required to suppress the transmission of these pathogens. Smart coatings are able to sense their environment and adapt their properties according to the stimulus. Furthermore, various parameters of coating technology can be controlled on a molecular level to influence the morphology. Nanomaterial (NM)-based smart coatings are 99.99% effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungi because of the unique properties of NMs involved. Moreover, NM-based smart coatings are 1000-fold more efficient than traditional coating technologies. Besides their antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial application, they are anticorrosive and self-cleaning. This chapter summarizes various NM-based smart coatings (organic, inorganic, and carbon) implemented in antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral applications. Furthermore, the application of these coatings in various fields and their associated challenges will be discussed. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19, which was first spread in China in 2019 and consequently spread worldwide, is caused by the SARS-CoV-2. Today, various carbon-based nanomaterials such as graphene, graphene oxide, carbon dots, and carbon nanotubes have been explored for the specific detection and targeted inhibition/inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 due to their great surface chemical structures, easy to-functionalization, biocompatibility, and low toxicity. According to exclusive inherent properties, carbon-based nanomaterials are promising candidates for targeted antiviral drug delivery and the inhibitory effects against pathogenic viruses based on photothermal effects or reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. These high-stability nanomaterials exhibited unique physicochemical properties, providing efficient nanoplatforms for optical and electrochemical sensing and diagnostic applications with high sensitivity and selectivity. Up to now, these materials have been used for the fabrication of diagnostic kits, different types of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as anti-viral masks, vaccines, self-cleaning surfaces, and other subjects. This review article explores the most recent developments in carbon-based nanomaterials' diagnostic and therapeutic potential towards SARS-CoV-2 detection and inhibition, different mechanisms, challenges and benefits of the carbon-based nanomaterials.
ABSTRACT
Nanoparticles can be used as inhibitory agents against various microorganisms, including bacteria, algae, archaea, fungi, and a huge class of viruses. The mechanism of action includes inhibiting the function of the cell membrane/stopping the synthesis of the cell membrane, disturbing the transduction of energy, producing toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS), and inhibiting or reducing RNA and DNA production. Various nanomaterials, including different metallic, silicon, and carbon-based nanomaterials and nanoarchitectures, have been successfully used against different viruses. Recent research strongly agrees that these nanoarchitecture-based virucidal materials (nano-antivirals) have shown activity in the solid state. Therefore, they are very useful in the development of several products, such as fabric and high-touch surfaces. This review thoroughly and critically identifies recently developed nano-antivirals and their products, nano-antiviral deposition methods on various substrates, and possible mechanisms of action. By considering the commercial viability of nano-antivirals, recommendations are made to develop scalable and sustainable nano-antiviral products with contact-killing properties. Copyright © 2022 Hussain, Abro, Ahmed, Memon and Memon.
ABSTRACT
Monitoring human health for early detection of disease conditions or health disorders is of major clinical importance for maintaining a healthy life. Sensors are small devices employed for qualitative and quantitative determination of various analytes by monitoring their properties using a certain transduction method. A "real-time" biosensor includes a biological recognition receptor (such as an antibody, enzyme, nucleic acid or whole cell) and a transducer to convert the biological binding event to a detectable signal, which is read out indicating both the presence and concentration of the analyte molecule. A wide range of specific analytes with biomedical significance at ultralow concentration can be sensitively detected. In nano(bio)sensors, nanoparticles (NPs) are incorporated into the (bio)sensor design by attachment to the suitably modified platforms. For this purpose, metal nanoparticles have many advantageous properties making them useful in the transducer component of the (bio)sensors. Gold, silver and platinum NPs have been the most popular ones, each form of these metallic NPs exhibiting special surface and interface features, which significantly improve the biocompatibility and transduction of the (bio)sensor compared to the same process in the absence of these NPs. This comprehensive review is focused on the main types of NPs used for electrochemical (bio)sensors design, especially screen-printed electrodes, with their specific medical application due to their improved analytical performances and miniaturized form. Other advantages such as supporting real-time decision and rapid manipulation are pointed out. A special attention is paid to carbon-based nanomaterials (especially carbon nanotubes and graphene), used by themselves or decorated with metal nanoparticles, with excellent features such as high surface area, excellent conductivity, effective catalytic properties and biocompatibility, which confer to these hybrid nanocomposites a wide biomedical applicability.
ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is still causing a dramatic loss of human lives worldwide, constituting an unprecedented challenge for the society, public health and economy, to overcome. The up-to-date diagnostic tests, PCR, antibody ELISA and Rapid Antigen, require special equipment, hours of analysis and special staff. For this reason, many research groups have focused recently on the design and development of electrochemical biosensors for the SARS-CoV-2 detection, indicating that they can play a significant role in controlling COVID disease. In this review we thoroughly discuss the transducer electrode nanomaterials investigated in order to improve the sensitivity, specificity and response time of the as-developed SARS-CoV-2 electrochemical biosensors. Particularly, we mainly focus on the results appeard on Au-based and carbon or graphene-based electrodes, which are the main material groups recently investigated worldwidely. Additionally, the adopted electrochemical detection techniques are also discussed, highlighting their pros and cos. The nanomaterial-based electrochemical biosensors could enable a fast, accurate and without special cost, virus detection. However, further research is required in terms of new nanomaterials and synthesis strategies in order the SARS-CoV-2 electrochemical biosensors to be commercialized.
ABSTRACT
Therapeutic options for the highly pathogenic human severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing the current pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are urgently needed. COVID-19 is associated with viral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome causing significant morbidity and mortality. The proposed treatments for COVID-19 have shown little or no effect in the clinic so far. Additionally, bacterial and fungal pathogens contribute to the SARS-CoV-2-mediated pneumonia disease complex. The antibiotic resistance in pneumonia treatment is increasing at an alarming rate. Therefore, carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs), such as fullerene, carbon dots, graphene, and their derivatives constitute a promising alternative due to their wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and capacity to induce tissue regeneration. Furthermore, the antimicrobial mode of action is mainly physical (e.g., membrane distortion), characterized by a low risk of antimicrobial resistance. In this Review, we evaluated the literature on the antiviral activity and broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties of CBNs. CBNs had antiviral activity against 13 enveloped positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. CBNs with low or no toxicity to humans are promising therapeutics against the COVID-19 pneumonia complex with other viruses, bacteria, and fungi, including those that are multidrug-resistant.