2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Creation of functional materials for healthcare workers using unique metal nanoparticle synthesis method

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	19K22787
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Review Section	Medium-sized Section 58:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
Research Institution	National Defense Medical College
Principal Investigator	Nakamura Shingo 防衛医科大学校(医学教育部医学科進学課程及び専門課程、動物実験施設、共同利用研究施設、病院並びに防衛, 防衛医学研究センター医療工学研究部門, 教授 (00505323)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	佐藤正宏国立研究開発法人国立成育医療研究センター, ゲノム医療研究部, 共同研究員 (30287099)
Project Period (FY)	2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
Keywords	銀ナノ粒子 / 殺菌活性 / 紫外線照射 / ラジカル
Outline of Final Research Achievements	Silver nanoparticle (AgNP) have been shown to have bactericidal action and virus inactivation effect. In this study, we demonstrated that UV irradiation of AgNP is effective at enhancing bactericidal activity. This bactericidal effect is attributable to the UV irradiation-mediated enhanced production of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals generated from AgNP. Hydroxyl radicals, renowned as powerful oxidizing agents, are likely to be effective against viruses, bacteria, and in the degradation of chemicals. Although biosafety issues and environmental safety concerns related to AgNP, which are often been a subject for discussion, need to be carefully addressed, this system is expected to be useful in protecting healthcare workers from infection with pathogens.
Free Research Field	医療工学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	本研究の最大の成果は、銀ナノ粒子（AgNP）への紫外線照射がラジカルを発生させ、殺菌活性が高まることを実証した点に集約される。本研究ではハンディタイプの簡易型紫外線ランプを使用しており、その汎用性も高い。紫外線の波長もUVA帯域であり、一般的な殺菌目的で使用されるUVC帯域と比べて安全性が高い。本研究成果の活用は、例えば、医療従事者が防護服の脱衣時において病原因子へ誤接触してしまっても、その因子は既に不活化されているために感染をしなくてもすむといったような、新たな感染防護システムの構築につながると期待できる。