UNLABELLED: Infection control measures to prevent viral and bacterial infection spread are critical to maintaining a healthy environment. Pathogens such as viruses and pyogenic bacteria can cause infectious complications. Viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 are known to spread through the aerosol route and on fomite surfaces, lasting for a prolonged time in the environment. Developing technologies to mitigate the spread of pathogens through airborne routes and on surfaces is critical, especially for patients at high risk for infectious complications. Multifunctional coatings with a broad capacity to bind pathogens that result in inactivation can disrupt infectious spread through aerosol and inanimate surface spread. This study uses C-POLAR, a proprietary cationic, polyamine, organic polymer with a charged, dielectric property coated onto air filtration material and textiles. Using both SARS-CoV-2 live viral particles and bovine coronavirus models, C-POLAR-treated material shows a dramatic 2-log reduction in circulating viral inoculum. This reduction is consistent in a static room model, indicating simple airflow through a static C-POLAR hanging can capture significant airborne particles. Finally, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria are applied to C-POLAR textiles using a viability indicator to demonstrate eradication on fomite surfaces. These data suggest that a cationic polymer surface can capture and eradicate human pathogens, potentially interrupting the infectious spread for a more resilient environment. IMPORTANCE: Infection control is critical for maintaining a healthy home, work, and hospital environment. We test a cationic polymer capable of capturing and eradicating viral and bacterial pathogens by applying the polymer to the air filtration material and textiles. The data suggest that the simple addition of cationic material can result in the improvement of an infectious resilient environment against viral and bacterial pathogens.

C POLAR Technologies Inc Las Vegas Nevada USA

C POLAR Technologies Inc West Vancouver British Columbia Canada

Department of Chemistry The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China

Department of Emergency Medicine University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada

Department of Genetics and Microbiology Charles University Faculty of Sciences Prague Czechia

Department of Mechanical Engineering Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong China

Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota USA

Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Texas Dallas Richardson Texas USA

Department of Medicine Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts USA

Department of Veterinary Population Medicine University of Minnesota Saint Paul Minnesota USA

Division of Infectious Diseases Massachusetts General Hospital Boston Massachusetts USA

Faculty of Medicine University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague Czechia

Interior Health Authority Kelowna British Columbia Canada

Rural Coordination Center of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada

School of Engineering University of British Columbia Kelowna British Columbia Canada

School of Health and Exercise Sciences University of British Columbia Kelowna British Columbia Canada

School of Nursing University of British Columbia Kelowna British Columbia Canada

School of Science and Technology Hong Kong Metropolitan University Hong Kong China

St Paul's Hospital Vancouver British Columbia Canada

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