A team of scientists from the Institute of the Advanced Study in Science and Technology, an autonomous research Institute of DST, Guwahati, has demonstrated that the plasma generated by cold atmospheric pressure (CAP) has the potency to deactivate SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which binds to human ACE2 receptor for inducing viral infection and subsequent Covid-19. The scientists Dr. Kamatchi Sankaranarayanan, Dr. Mojibur R. Khan, and Dr. H. Bailung from the Life Sciences and Physical Sciences divisions of the Institute have shown that the CAP plasma-based disinfection method is a better alternative to those environmentally hazardous chemical-based decontamination methods. They stated that the cold plasma might be considered a green chemical because in the entire decontamination process by plasma treatment, no chemical waste is produced. Consequently, this method is highly advantageous for environmental safety prospects.

This work recently published in a peer-reviewed international journal RSC (Royal Society of Chemistry) Advances published from the United Kingdom, shows that the complete deactivation of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein occurs within 2 min of CAP plasma treatment owing to the short lived highly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) generated in the plasma. Further, the RT-PCR analysis has also established that CAP plasma can deactivate the RNA of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Prof. Ashis K. Mukherjee, the Director, has stated that IASST has a Covid-19 testing and research facility, and to date, more than 1.54 lakhs tests have been done at this centre.

The details of the article:

Rakesh Ruchel Khanikar, Monalisa Kalita, Parismita Kalita, Bhaswati Kashyap, Santanu Das, Mojibur R. Khan, Heremba Bailung*, Kamatchi Sankaranarayanan*

Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma for attenuation of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein binding to ACE2 protein and the RNA deactivation

RSC Adv., 2022,12, 9466-9472

https://doi.org/10.1039/D2RA00009A