Dr. Yuni Krisyuningsih Krisnandi, M.Sc., a lecturer and researcher at the Department of Chemistry, FMIPA UI, was one of the speakers in the MIPATalk Series 9 event on Thursday, August 13, 2020.

On that occasion, she presented a talk titled “Porous Inorganic Frameworks as Antiviral Surfaces: Their Prospect to Stop Covid-19 Spreading.”

Before explaining the topic, Dr. Yuni briefly described materials that are safe for the body, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive to control the spread of Coronavirus infection.

One of the materials she mentioned as usable is porous inorganic materials that function to support other materials (active materials) when used, such as nanoparticle materials.

There are at least four porous inorganic materials that can be used, namely Bentonite, Zeolite, Graphene, and Metal Organic Framework (MOF).

According to the researcher, who is also a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), each porous inorganic material has the potential to help prevent the transmission of Covid-19. One example is Bentonite, which is a type of clay that has been modified into large-pore sheets and can be used to damage the proteins on the virus’s RNA.

“These inorganic materials have potential, with all their unique properties, to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus or Covid-19,” explained Dr. Yuni.

Furthermore, Dr. Yuni claimed that what she and her team are currently working on in the laboratory is making column filters for RNA extraction, which are highly needed for PCR tests.

Another project underway is making polymer bentonite that will later be attached to masks or hazmat suits or Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Source : https://sci.ui.ac.id/