Can Spider Silk Kill Airborne Bacteria? Microbial Minutes

Because of their small size, bioaerosols can travel between environments relatively easily, and may remain suspended in the air for extended periods of time depending on conditions within the environment (for example, how stagnant the air is). Bioaerosols have various health implications—inhalation of bioaerosols can lead to infection and disease, depending on the bioaerosol and the host. This is something we’ve all become highly aware of during the COVID-19 pandemic, given SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, spreads via respiratory bioaerosols released from infected individuals. With that in mind, air filtration systems have been, and will continue to be, important tools for managing bioaerosol exposure and potential risks. To that end, scientists are developing innovative methods for capturing bioaerosols—and they’re looking to spiders, of all things, for inspiration. Which brings us to a new study in which researchers developed fibers based on the structure of spider silk to capture and inactivate bacteria aerosols in the air. 👍 Subscribe to ASM’s YouTube channel at ✅ Become a member today at 🔬 Learn more about the American Society for Microbiology at 📱 Join us on social: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: