Scientists invent mask that glows when exposed to COVID-19 virus

A warning sign on your face.

Dec. 15, 2021

Scientists invent mask that glows when exposed to COVID-19 virus

With COVID-19, one of the more prominent pain points has been the ability to detect the virus early and clearly. The issues with the various test methods we currently have range from requiring full kits, to requiring time to get an accurate reading.

But in Japan, scientists have found a new means of detection that may prove incredibly helpful moving forward – using face masks that glow when exposed to the coronavirus.

The team of researchers from Kyoto Prefectural University recently revealed that they've managed to create face masks using filter material that glows under ultraviolet (UV) light when the COVID-19 virus gets on it.

The key ingredient in the creation of the mask is ostrich eggs – pretty unexpected, we'd all agree.

Antibodies from ostrich eggs are now being used to create masks that glow in the presence of COVID-19. IMAGE: Wonderopolis

But according to the team headed by the university's president Yasuhiro Tsukamoto, ostrich eggs supposedly contain various antibodies that they claim are extremely effective at fighting off the COVID-19 virus.

So, the whole process involved in creating the masks was to have various antibodies taken from the eggs, and then apply them onto the masks.

In February of 2020, the team started by injecting an inactive and relatively harmless version of the COVID-19 virus into female ostriches. The eggs that were laid by these ostriches were then taken by the team, who then extracted the aforementioned antibodies inside.

The team then worked on developing a special type of mask filter that could be removed, and sprayed it with a fluorescent dye containing the ostrich egg antibodies. Whenever the filter came into contact with the COVID-19 virus, it would simply begin to glow under a UV light.

It's a small sample size, but it works.

In the testing phase, the team tried out the mask on 32 individuals who were infected with the virus – all over a period of 10 days. During this period, all masks glowed when placed under a UV light, but eventually faded as the viral load decreased.

Incidentally, this was how Tsukamoto also discovered that he himself was infected with COVID-19. After wearing one of the experimental masks, he discovered it glowing and quickly confirmed his infection after going through a PCR test.

Now, the team aims to test the mask among 150 more participants before proceeding to the next phase – which could possibly involve figuring out ways to mass-produce the mask for public use.

"We can mass-produce antibodies from ostriches at a low cost," Tsukamoto said. "In the future, I want to make this into an easy testing kit that anyone can use."

Hopefully, the next phase of testing proves successful because we all know how much we desperately need quicker and cheaper ways to detect COVID-19.