Antimicrobial Properties of Gallium-Infused and Zinc-Infused Bioglasses: A Potential Cure for Coronavirus
Over the last several months, the world has drastically changed because of a new generation of coronavirus and the pandemic it has caused. Researchers have taken into consideration previously studied biomaterial solutions against microbes and have manipulated these materials to hypothesize a potential cure against this raging virus. Previous literature supported the use of gallium-infused bioglasses as a way to inhibit bacterial and cancerous tumor growth, but this glass was restricted in how well it could prevent viral replication. These findings, along with other literature supporting the key immunological and antiviral properties of zinc ions, lead to the proposal of creating a zinc-infused bioglass to work against coronavirus. The effectiveness of a packed and sintered gallium-infused glass was tested against E. coli, the lack of success of this experiment, showcasing how ion release is affected by glass preparations and influencing how glass preparations for a zinc-infused glass should be done. Experiments regarding how to prove the success of this alternative glass composition were discussed and include: creating an ideal composition that will not generate an immune response, characterization of the glass, and direct testing against the strain of coronavirus directly impacting the world today. The success of these future studies would bring the world closer to developing a solution to an urgent problem.
Honors thesis, Coronavirus, Covid-19, Bioglass, Antimicrobial properties
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