TY - JOUR
T1 - Fabric Response to COVID-19 Ozone Sterilization
AU - Reischl , Uwe
AU - Mijovic , Budimir
JO - Journal of Fiber Bioengineering and Informatics
VL - 3
SP - 129
EP - 135
PY - 2020
DA - 2020/11
SN - 13
DO - http://doi.org/10.3993/jfbim00358
UR - https://global-sci.org/intro/article_detail/jfbi/18365.html
KW - Fabric elasticity
KW - Ozone sterilization
KW - PPE Reuse
AB - <p>Limited availablilty of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the current COVID-19 pandemic
has led to frequent unsafe reuse of personal protective clothing by healthcare workers and the public.
The application of ozone gas to sterilize PPEs for reuse has been proposed. However, the potential
damage inflicted on the fabrics has not been reported in the scientific literature. A study was conducted
to investigate the changes in fabric elasticity that may be associated with a two-hour exposure to ozone
gas at a concentration of 17 ppm. No significant material degradation was found. The results suggest
that use of ozone gas to sterilize PPEs for reuse against COVID-19 virus can be effective.</p>