2020/03/14 by Tsumoru Shintake, T. Shintake, Shintake, Tsumoru · 3 voices
Chemistry · Engineering · Medicine · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Chemical Sensor Technologies #Anesthesia #Biochemistry #Biology #Chemistry #Ethanol #Inhalation #Inhalation and Respiratory Drug Delivery #Lipid bilayer #Medicine #Membrane #Microbiology #Respiratory system #Respiratory tract #Viral envelope #Virology #Virus #physics.med-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2003.12444
openalex publication_date 2020/03/14 · openalex created_date 2022/07/26 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza are lipophilic, enveloped viruses,\nand are relatively easy to inactivate by exposure to alcohols. The envelope\nmainly consists of the lipid bilayer, taken from the host cells at\nassembly/budding stage of the viral life cycle. Therefore the constitution of\nthe lipid bilayer should be common in all SARS, MERS and influenza viruses,\neven after mutations, and thus these closely-related viruses will be\ndisinfected by exposure to ethanol with the same concentration. Existing\nexperimental data indicate that an ethanol concentration of 30~40 v/v% is\nsufficient to inactivate Influenza-A viruses in solution[1,2,3]. The author\nsuggests that it may be possible to use alcoholic beverages of 16~20 v/v%\nconcentration for this disinfection process, such as Whisky (1:1 hot water\ndilution) or Japanese Sake, because they are readily available and safe\n(non-toxic). By inhaling the alcohol vapor at 50~60^\∘C (122~140^\∘F)\nthrough the nose for one or two minutes, it will condense on surfaces inside\nthe respiratory tract; mainly in the nasal cavity. The alcohol concentration\nwill be intensified to ~36 v/v% by this process, which is enough to disinfect\nthe corona virus on the mucous membrane. This method also provides more\nmoisture into respiratory tract, and helps to clean the inside of the nasal\ncavity by stimulating blowing of the nose, and also makes the mucous escalator\nwork actively so that the self-clearing mechanism in the trachea will remove\nviruses faster. An alternative prompt method is also discussed. We use 40 v/v%\nwhisky or similar alcohol, dripping on a gauze, inhale the vapor slowly at room\ntemperature. This method works well for the front part of the nasal cavity.\nThis is suitable for clinical workers, because they may need to use prompt\npreventative measures at any time.\n