SciTechDaily: Silk offers homemade solution for COVID-19
UC biologist Patrick Guerra found that silk prevents infection better than other fabrics
SciTechDaily highlighted a study by the University of Cincinnati that concluded that silk masks were better at preventing infection from COVID-19 than cotton or synthetic fibers.
UC assistant professor Patrick Guerra and postdoctoral researcher Adam Parlin found that in the absence of a single-use N95 respirator or a surgical mask, homemade masks made of silk were a good alternative. Silk face masks are comfortable, breathable and repel moisture, which is a desirable trait in fighting an airborne virus.
Silkworms that eat mulberry leaves produce silk containing copper, which has natural virus-killing properties.
The study was published in the journal PLOS One.
“We’re trying to address this critical problem. Health care workers still don’t have enough personal protective equipment, namely N95 respirators or basic surgical masks,” Guerra said.
Featured image at top: UC tested face masks on styrofoam heads. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC Creative + Brand
UC assistant professor of biology Patrick Guerra's work with moths and butterflies inspired his research into silk masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo/Lisa Ventre/UC Creative + Brand
Related Stories
The reuse revolution: Your guide to upcycled and sustainable...
November 19, 2024
UC alums Meridith Shook and Jacob Schlater., partners and founders of Object From Nothing fashion brand, are featured in an article in the Los Angeles Times on sustainable fashion.
A look at the 'enrollment cliff' facing colleges and universities
November 18, 2024
"We hear a lot about college enrollment of late. And it’s a safe bet that at least once in any conversation or article you’ll hear the phrase 'enrollment cliff.' ... But many schools have been on an enrollment roll, including the University of Cincinnati, which saw record enrollment 10 years ago and every year since — even during the pandemic," President Pinto writes in a Cincinnati Enquirer opinion article.
How ‘CoComelon’ became a mass media juggernaut for preschoolers
November 18, 2024
UC children's media expert Nancy Jennings was featured in an article in the L.A. Times that describes the rise of children's entertainment programing "CoComelon" to the top. Jennings describes the prrogram and relatable and wholesome.