Coronavirus and homemade tools

[FEM2008]

Thanks, Jon for the posting the latest info about mask decontamination. There was a study done in Japan in 2006 for the first SARS virus (link below) , and it found that UV-C treatment failed to completely inactivate the virus and a small amount remained viable even after extended treatment. It appears the study you linked to uses much higher doses of UV-C, but that could compromise the masks physically. UV-C will deteriorates elastic quickly, not to mention the extreme danger to eyes. Anyone attempting to use UV_C for sterilization should use a safety interlock system to cut power off if a door is opened or a lid is lifted. With the exception of quartz, most glass and poly-carbonate materials will (at least partially) block UV-c wavelengths, so those should not be used as an interface between the light source and the item being sterilized, bit don't count them to protect your eyes.

https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/89211

I saw your comment about the CDC changing their mind about recommendations on the use of face masks a week or two ago and I have been holding off on commenting. I am in the camp that if your are going to wear something to protect yourself, then do it right. But, I do believe that wearing anything will help slow down the spread to others.

What changes is that I did have to venture to the store a few times since then and given the current environment, certain things stand out more readily. Covid pandemic or not, some of the things I have seen makes me want to wash everything I bring home before putting in my fridge or pantry. There are a multitude of people of have no qualms about touching their noses or mouth (like licking their fingers before picking up a shopping bag), or even sneezing in their hand and continue touching things. One notable example was a person wearing a mask at the grocery store apparently needed to rub his nose. He did so by lifting the mask and sticking both index fingers into his nostrils simultaneously and proceeded to rub vigorously. He continued to shop and touch items with sanitizing hands. I guess if you are going to get infected, might as well give the virus a head-start and make sure it's well seated into the nasal cavity I've seen a multitude of workers who wear their mask over the mouth but not the nose, or just over the chin. I have seen a good number who tie the mask with top strap alone, and let the mask dangle over their nose, looking more like a belly dancer than one worried about keeping the virus at bay.

Lastly, I cannot begin to count the number of people I see wearing a mask over a thick beard. Back when I worked in industrial hygiene, wearing a mask over a beard was a no-no. trying to get a mask to have good fit even with stubble was near impossible. I suppose they are not going to protect themselves in any way, but it will shorten the distance the virus spreads.

Speaking of virus spread, the latest scientific recommendations recommend at least 10ft distance.
(stepping down from the soap box)

[Nick79]

Effective but violates the recommended minimum of 6 feet separation.

[owen moore]

I am curious if an ozone generator in a confined space would kill this virus on contaminated clothes and equipment, not humans. I even wonder if it would work for groceries. Would any of you know?

[old kodger]

I am curious if an ozone generator in a confined space would kill this virus on contaminated clothes and equipment, not humans. I even wonder if it would work for groceries. Would any of you know?

I run a 'bigger than average' (from memory it's about ten grams per hour)ozone generator in my bedroom for an hour when I go to bed, it is set to turn off after an hour. I've been running it for far longer than this covid 19 rubbish has been going, the original instructions did say don't use it in occupied rooms but I assure you that I'm very much alive and kicking. Yes, it is producing ozone, you can smell it.
They are used to sterilize operating theaters, probably much stronger than mine

[DIYSwede]

I am curious if an ozone generator in a confined space would kill this virus on contaminated clothes and equipment, not humans. I even wonder if it would work for groceries. Would any of you know?

AFAIK: It will, preferably combined with high humidity. I use it in an improvised "virological lock" in our hallway.
While elaborating/ writing this a few weeks ago:
Coronavirus and homemade tools
I found a handful research reports from non-affiliated labs in a fairly narrow search on the "Interweb".
Didn't save them, though.
Conclusion was: It's effective, even at low ppms, preferably at 50% rel humidity or higher.

This might be a good and easy start:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone
and this video:

Caveat: Ozone has some bad side effects to humans apart from killing viruses, too...
While producing ozone outta air with a corona-discharge unit, you also get N2 as a by-product,
which can be irritating/ harmful to your respiratory system.
UV units doesn't have this unwanted trait.
Personally I wouldn't enter a room under treatment. No point in getting worse off by the cure, right?
I wait at least an hour before entering, given that ozone has an assumed 30 min decay time in household air.

I'm not saying this is some wonder cure against all viruses, I just happened to have a free unit lying around - and found it could be used.
So I figured - what harm can it do? - and could it perhaps prevent some?
I don't know for sure. Guess the future won't show that either - but at least I tried.

Just my 2 cents and YMMV - use your good sense for your own protection.

Cheers, Johan

[Drew1966]

I’m a distiller, so I just spray things with pure alcohol. (95.62%)

[DIYSwede]

I’m a distiller, so I just spray things with pure alcohol. (95.62%)

Seems like 80 % ethanol + 5 % isopropyl alcohol is regarded optimal by some studies, as:
https://www.researchgate.net/publica...e_disinfection

Suggested reading from CDC for intrepid home chemists:
https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol.../chemical.html

Some (other) cheap DIY:ers swear by 70 % ethanol (rest water) to add time to wet the surface, and enough time to work before it vapors off.
Personally I use a 3% sodium hypochlorite solution for surface cleaning, since last fall when my youngest caught the
Cryptosporidium Hominis...

YMMV

Johan

[Jon]

Isopropyl alcohol is great for disinfecting surfaces, just not for N95 masks. Apparently they have an anti-particle electrostatic charge that is harmed by alcohol.

I've read that diluting alcohol to around 70% is advantageous because higher concentrations evaporate before the recommended surface exposure time.

Barbicide is still available, and it's listed on the EPA list of approved disinfectants for coronavirus. You can still order the concentrated version in gallons or half gallons. Beauty supply and barber supply websites have extra stock of it now.

[Drew1966]

Seems like 80 % ethanol + 5 % isopropyl alcohol is regarded optimal by some studies, as:
https://www.researchgate.net/publica...e_disinfection

Suggested reading from CDC for intrepid home chemists:
https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol.../chemical.html

Some (other) cheap DIY:ers swear by 70 % ethanol (rest water) to add time to wet the surface, and enough time to work before it vapors off.
Personally I use a 3% sodium hypochlorite solution for surface cleaning, since last fall when my youngest caught the
Cryptosporidium Hominis...

YMMV

Johan

I actually use a mixture of methanol, ethanol and both 2 and 1 propanol, as it comes out of the still, and in that order. The propanols have higher boiling points than the others and hence a longer contact time before they evaporate. I usually add around 2% of 3% peroxide to kill fungal and mould spores. If I’m using it as hand sanitiser, I’ll also add 1.5% glycerine or propylene glycol and about 30% of deionised water.

[old kodger]

"Caveat: Ozone has some bad side effects to humans apart from killing viruses, too...
While producing ozone outta air with a corona-discharge unit, you also get N2 as a by-product,
which can be irritating/ harmful to your respiratory system."

As a result of this post, I did a small amount of research. Lets look at N2, N is a nitrogen atom, but is unstable and requires another N atom to pair with, because N has three unpaired electrons. Pairing with another N atom satisfies the requirement of both N2 IS nitrogen as found in the atmosphere and it's concentration in the atmosphere is 78%.
Now my question is: - how can a naturally occurring element (7 on the periodic table), being more than 3/4 of the atmosphere, "be irritating/ harmful to your respiratory system" ?
I can comprehend however, that because big pharma can't patent ozone, in keeping with their historical performance, they would "lobby" to have a scare tactic thrown into the works to inhibit people from using it. As I said in my last post, I'm sill alive and kicking.....with no signs of respitary distress.