An Anti-Infective Polymer Coating to Reduce Surface Transmission of Pathogens on Personal Protective Equipment

Face masks are vital in protecting individuals from respiratory viruses but can serve as a source of infection if improperly used or re-used. Herein, we report anti-infective polymer coatings comprised of anti-fouling poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) (POEGMA) functionalized with hydrazide groups for promoting adhesion and a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) and/or grafted ciprofloxacin as the anti-infective component. The polymers could be functionalized to the surface of spunbonded polypropylene used for face masks using a simple aqueous dip-coating process. The QAC-functionalized coatings demonstrated a 2.0 log reduction against Staphylococcus aureus, a 1.5 log reduction against Escherichia coli, and a 0.8 log reduction against Pseudomonas aeruginosa after five hours of contact time; combination coatings containing both QAC and ciprofloxacin enabled a 2.1 log reduction against S. aureus, a 4.1 log reduction against E. coli, and a 7.3 log reduction against P. aeruginosa. In parallel, the masks maintained their key mechanical properties as well as remained in full compliance with the ASTM standards for barrier face coverings in terms of breathability and particulate filtration efficacy. Thus, this coating strategy offers potential to reduce the risk of infection from mask wear or reuse.