Wooden surfaces can kill viruses
Researchers examined how long viruses remained infectious on different types of wood and found that some types are promising candidates for sustainable, natural antiviral materials (Photo: ACS).
June 18, 2024 – Viruses, including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, can be transmitted from person to person through contaminated surfaces. But can some surfaces reduce the risk of this type of transmission? Scientists have now discovered that wood has natural antiviral properties, which can reduce the time viruses can survive on surfaces.
So-called enveloped viruses, such as the coronavirus, can live on surfaces for up to five days, while non-enveloped viruses, including common cold viruses, can survive for weeks, sometimes even after surfaces have been disinfected. Previous studies have shown that wood has antibacterial and antifungal properties, making it an ideal material for cutting boards. However, the ability of wood to inactivate viruses remained to be investigated until researchers from the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) conducted a study on this topic.
The results of experiments with the coronavirus showed that pine, spruce, birch, and alder need one hour to significantly reduce the virus’s ability to infect, while eucalyptus and oak need two hours. Pine exhibited the fastest antiviral activity, beginning after just five minutes.
Based on their findings, the researchers concluded that the chemical composition of the wood surface is primarily responsible for its antiviral functionality. Although more research is needed to understand the chemical mechanisms involved, the researchers believe that wood is a promising candidate for sustainable, natural antiviral materials.
The research has now been published in ACS Applied Energy Materials under the title ‘Tree Species-Dependent Inactivation of Coronaviruses and Enteroviruses on Solid Wood Surfaces’.
