Vox·media·8 minThe old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemic
Glycols are commonly used in various products such as cosmetics, fog machines, and food, and are also used as antifreeze ingredients. However, they have another useful property: when vaporized into indoor air, they can rapidly inactivate viruses, bacteria, and fungal spores. This property could help reduce the spread of seasonal flu and potentially stop airborne pandemics. Researchers have known about the disease-fighting properties of glycols for almost a century, and new research may allow for their deployment at scale soon.
The specific glycols that seem safe for humans to breathe are propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, and triethylene glycol vapors. These vapors have been shown to inactivate both air- and surface-borne viruses and prevent respiratory disease transmission. They are particularly effective against enveloped viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and Ebola. Deploying triethylene glycol vapors could be relatively cheap, costing only about 10 to 50 cents per day to protect a 1,000-square-foot room.
Studies have supported the use of glycol vapors for infection prevention since the mid-20th century. One study conducted in a pediatric hospital between 1941 and 1944 showed a 96 percent reduction in colds in wards that were disinfected with glycol vapors. However, interest in glycol vapors for disinfection declined with the advent of widely available antibiotics. The Covid-19 pandemic brought renewed interest in glycol vapors' antimicrobial properties, and the Environmental Protection Agency issued an emergency approval for a triethylene glycol-based product to disinfect occupied indoor spaces.
Despite the potential benefits of glycol vapors, scientific research on the subject has been limited. Public health agencies have been skeptical about using glycol vapors for disinfection, and have instead focused on other mitigation measures such as social distancing. However, a nonprofit organization called Blueprint Biosecurity has awarded $4.5 million in grants to study the efficacy and safety of glycol vapors for infection suppression. The researchers will study how glycol vapors inactivate pathogens, their effectiveness in real-world settings, and their safety profile, especially for sensitive populations.
The initial findings of the research are expected by early to mid-2027. The researchers will examine how to deploy glycol vapors effectively and safely, and how they interact with air filter media. They will also study the potential unintended consequences of using glycol vapors, such as unknown chemistry that could negatively impact people. The potential benefits of glycol vapors are enormous, and could help reduce work and school absenteeism, healthcare costs, and avoidable suffering.
The next pandemic is likely to be airborne, and glycol vapors could be a useful tool in preventing its spread. However, it is unclear if society has learned from the Covid-19 pandemic and is taking steps to prepare for the next one. Researchers and experts are calling for more research and investment in glycol vapors and other potential countermeasures to reduce the risk of airborne disease transmission.
Variety·media·1 min