Adsorbent material for viruses

Abstract

To provide a novel adsorbing body for viruses.SOLUTION: Provided is a virus adsorbing body that includes a hydrophilic porous inorganic material containing an impregnated material having an amino group.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an adsorbent for viruses.

Background Art

[0002] Virus infection occurs when non-infected people inhale or ingest fine aerosols (e.g., the breath or saliva of an infected person) derived from an infected person. In addition, virus infection also occurs when a non-infected person touches an aerosol or mist containing a virus attached to clothing, furniture, dishes, etc. Thus, viruses are widely spread in the environment, and in order to prevent virus infection, it is necessary to efficiently inactivate the viruses widely spread in the environment.

[0003] As a method for inactivating viruses, a method using ozone is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). High-concentration ozone can inactivate not only the viruses attached to objects but also the viruses contained in aerosols floating in the air. However, since ozone is harmful to the human body, it cannot be used in an environment where people are active.

[0004] As a method for inactivating viruses, a method using ultraviolet rays is known (see, for example, Patent Document 2). Ultraviolet rays can inactivate the viruses present in the locations irradiated with ultraviolet rays, but cannot inactivate the viruses present in the locations not irradiated with ultraviolet rays. In addition, since ultraviolet rays are harmful to the human body, they cannot be used in an environment where people are active.

[0005] As a method for inactivating viruses, a method using alcohol is known (see, for example, Patent Document 3). Alcohol (especially high-concentration alcohol) is mainly used for inactivating the viruses attached to the surface of hands and is used as a means for preventing contact infection. However, since alcohol easily vaporizes and can affect the human body or the environment, it is difficult to use a large amount of alcohol in an environment where people are active. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-238392 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-107269 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-194164 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] As mentioned above, conventional methods have made it difficult to inactivate viruses present in environments where many people are active and the risk of infection is highest (for example, airborne viruses) without disrupting people's activities. Therefore, there is a need to develop novel adsorbents for viruses.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a novel adsorbent for viruses. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One version of the product is as follows:

[0010] [1] A virus adsorbent comprising a hydrophilic porous inorganic material containing an additive material having an amino group.

[0011] [2] The above virus is contained in the aerosol, and the adsorbent is as described in [1].

[0012] [3] The adsorbent according to [1] or [2], wherein the hydrophilic porous inorganic material is sepiolite, activated clay, silica gel, pargoskite, or a mixture thereof.

[0013] [4] The adsorbent according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the adsorbent material having the above amino group is aluminum hydrazine sulfate, magnesium hydrazine sulfate, hydrazine phosphate, an organic amino compound, or a mixture thereof.

[0014] [5] The hydrophilic porous inorganic material is an adsorbent according to any one of [1] to [4], comprising a lubricant or manganese dioxide.

[0015] [6] The adsorbent according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the hydrophilic porous inorganic material has a honeycomb structure.

[0016] [7] The adsorbent described above is a non-fired and dried product, as described in any of [1] to [6]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it has the effect of providing an adsorbent for viruses. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an ethanol adsorption performance evaluation test apparatus using the honeycomb-shaped adsorbent prepared in Example 1, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention is not limited to each configuration described below, and various modifications are possible within the scope indicated in the claims. Also, embodiments or examples obtained by combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments or examples are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment, new technical features can be formed. All academic and patent documents described in this specification are incorporated herein by reference. Also, unless otherwise specified in this specification, "A~B" representing a numerical range is intended to mean "A or more (including A and greater than A) and B or less (including B and less than B)".

[0020] [1. Technical idea of the present invention] For viruses and organisms, water is essential for maintaining life. Therefore, naturally, viruses and organisms live in an environment where there is a lot of water.

[0021] On the surface of the virus, there are many polar groups with high affinity for water, represented by hydroxyl groups (-OH). Therefore, moisture in the atmosphere is collected by the polar groups (for example, hydroxyl groups), and a water film is formed around the virus by the water, and at the same time, aerosols or mists are formed.

[0022] Specifically, the particle size of the virus is about 0.1 μm, but an aerosol with a particle size of about 1 μm to 10 μm is formed. The aerosol containing the virus can float in the air for a long time. With the formation of the aerosol, the components of the virus (for example, proteins, lipids) are covered by the water film, so the oxidation of the components by oxygen in the air is prevented, and the virus continues to infect from person to person while maintaining its activity.

[0023] The ability of viruses to collect moisture from the air is thought to vary depending on the type of virus. Humidity in the air fluctuates significantly from summer to winter (for example, from approximately 10% to 90%). For instance, with the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), no clear difference in infection trends is observed between summer and winter. This suggests that the novel coronavirus has a high ability to collect moisture from the air.

[0024] Based on the above, the inventors considered that by removing the water film covering the surface of the virus, the components of the virus would be oxidized by oxygen in the air, and as a result, the activity of those components could be lost.

[0025] Furthermore, the inventors hypothesized that even if the water film on the surface of the virus is removed, the polar groups (e.g., hydroxyl groups) present on the surface of the virus protect it, and therefore, oxidation and inactivation of the virus's components by oxygen in the air would take time. Based on this hypothesis, they considered that in order to rapidly oxidize and inactivate the virus's components, it is necessary not only to remove the water film from around the virus, but also to damage the layer of polar groups (e.g., hydroxyl groups) on the surface of the virus, thereby creating conditions that make it easier for oxygen in the air to oxidize the components inside the virus.

[0026] In other words, the inventors considered that because the polar groups (e.g., hydroxyl groups) on the surface of viruses have a strong ability to retain water molecules, the first important step in removing the water film from around the virus is to attach the virus to an adsorbent that has a water absorption capacity exceeding the water molecule retention capacity of the polar groups (e.g., hydroxyl groups).

[0027] Furthermore, the inventors considered that in the second step, it is important to destroy polar groups (e.g., hydroxyl groups) by utilizing chemical reactions.

[0028] An adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention inactivates viruses through the first and second steps described above. More specifically, the adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention performs the first step mainly with a hydrophilic porous inorganic material, and then performs the second step mainly with an impregnation material.

[0029] [2. Adsorbent] In this specification, "adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention" may also be referred to as "the adsorbent." In this specification, "method for manufacturing the adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention" may also be referred to as "the manufacturing method."

[0030] An adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention is a virus adsorbent comprising a hydrophilic porous inorganic material containing an impregnating material having amino groups. Alternatively, an adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention may comprise a hydrophilic porous inorganic material to which an impregnating material having amino groups is attached. With this configuration, the adsorbent can capture viruses and inactivate them.

[0031] Furthermore, the adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention also has adsorption performance for aldehydes that are generally difficult to adsorb (e.g., acetaldehyde, formaldehyde). That is, even when processed into a honeycomb shape, this adsorbent containing an impregnation material having an amino group can remove aldehydes without losing its effectiveness. In this case, the adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention may contain manganese dioxide in the hydrophilic porous inorganic material.

[0032] The above-mentioned virus is preferably a virus contained in an aerosol. Since this adsorbent can more easily remove the water film that forms the aerosol, it can capture the virus and more easily inactivate it.

[0033] In one embodiment of the present invention, the virus may be, for example, various coronaviruses such as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), various influenza viruses, rubella virus, mumps virus, human rhinovirus, or adenovirus.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol refers to a mixture of solid or liquid fine particles dispersed and suspended in a gas. More specifically, an aerosol refers to a mixture of a substance and a water film that is suspended in the air, with the substance being surrounded by a water film.

[0035] The above-mentioned hydrophilic porous inorganic material has the ability to adsorb and capture viruses, and the functional groups (amino groups) present on the surface of the adsorbent have the effect of inactivating viruses. The above-mentioned functional groups originate from the impregnating material contained in (or attached to) the hydrophilic porous inorganic material.

[0036] The virus inactivation effect of adsorbents occurs after the virus has been adsorbed onto the surface of the adsorbent. Therefore, one of the key points is the functional structure of the adsorbent, which can efficiently adsorb and capture the virus to be inactivated onto its surface.

[0037] The material constituting the above structure is preferably a porous material with a large specific surface area that allows the viruses to be treated to adhere to the adsorbent. That is, the above structure refers not only to macroscopic structures that form spaces of several millimeters in size, but also to microscopic structures on the surface of the adsorbent that are of a size of several micrometers to several angstroms. When used in practical applications as a virus adsorbent, it is preferable that the adsorbent has a large surface area per unit volume, is formed as a structure that allows for good air permeability (for example, a honeycomb structure), and is also formed as a structure with high durability.

[0038] (2-1. Hydrophilic porous inorganic material) A hydrophilic porous inorganic material according to one embodiment of the present invention is an inorganic material that possesses both hydrophilicity and porousness, and includes an impregnating material having amino groups. A hydrophilic porous inorganic material according to one embodiment of the present invention may be an inorganic material that possesses both hydrophilicity and porousness, and is formed by impregnating an impregnating material having amino groups.

[0039] In one embodiment of this application, hydrophilicity refers to a property that has a high interaction with and affinity for water. More specifically, in one embodiment of this application, hydrophilicity refers to a material that has the ability to absorb water molecules surrounding a virus having a polar group (e.g., a hydroxyl group). For example, in one embodiment of this application, a hydrophilic inorganic material may be an inorganic material in a size of 50 mm × 50 mm × 50 mm through which a gas containing 100 ppm or less, 50 ppm or less, or 10 ppm or less of water (or ethanol) is passed, after which the water content in the gas becomes 0 ppm.

[0040] In one embodiment of the present invention, the shape and number of pores in the porous inorganic material are not limited. Furthermore, these pores may penetrate the inorganic material or may not penetrate it.

[0041] The hydrophilic porous inorganic material according to one embodiment of the present application is not particularly limited, and examples include sepiolite, activated clay, silica gel, pargoskite, or mixtures thereof.

[0042] Among the hydrophilic porous inorganic materials mentioned above, those having chain-like magnesium silicate as the main component are preferred, and sepiolite is particularly preferred. Sepiolite has the advantage of drying and solidifying properties, and by using sepiolite, a honeycomb structure can be formed while maintaining the function of the impregnating material well. Furthermore, this configuration results in an adsorbent that exhibits excellent moldability and high adsorption to viruses, and maintains the activity of the functional groups on the surface of the adsorbent for a long period of time. Sepiolite is also flame-retardant and can be reused repeatedly through regeneration treatment, so it has the advantage of lower running costs compared to disposable activated carbon. Moreover, since adsorption by the impregnating material is by chemical adsorption, it has the advantage of making it less likely for the target substance (virus) to detach compared to activated carbon that uses physical adsorption, and it can capture small molecules of 40 Å or less, and can also chemically decompose and adsorb larger molecules.

[0043] As described above, the hydrophilic porous inorganic material according to one embodiment of the present application may be a mixture of various materials, for example, a hydrophilic porous inorganic material A (e.g., sepiolite) containing chain-like magnesium silicate as the main component and a hydrophilic porous inorganic material B (e.g., activated clay, silica gel) that does not contain chain-like magnesium silicate as the main component.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present application, the content of the hydrophilic porous inorganic material A is preferably high. For example, it is preferable that the hydrophilic porous inorganic material A is present in an amount of 10% to 100% by weight per 100% by weight of the hydrophilic porous inorganic material, more preferably 20% to 100% by weight, and even more preferably 30% to 100% by weight.

[0045] Furthermore, the content of the hydrophilic porous inorganic material B according to one embodiment of the present application is preferably 10% to 70% by weight, more preferably 20% to 65% by weight, and even more preferably 30% to 60% by weight of the hydrophilic porous inorganic material B per 100% by weight of the hydrophilic porous inorganic material. This configuration has the advantages of (i) suppressing the characteristic of sepiolite, which is that it has a large shrinkage rate when used alone, and thus suppressing the shrinkage rate even when it is dry, (ii) reducing friction between the mold and the hydrophilic porous inorganic material, thereby facilitating extrusion molding, and (iii) ensuring sufficient gaps between the particles of the hydrophilic porous inorganic material, which makes it easier for virus-containing gases to diffuse into the interior of the hydrophilic porous inorganic material.

[0046] (2-2. Adhesive material) An adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a hydrophilic porous inorganic material, the hydrophilic porous inorganic material containing an impregnating material having amino groups. An adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a hydrophilic porous inorganic material, the hydrophilic porous inorganic material may contain a solution-like impregnating material having amino groups, and then the solvent of the impregnating material (e.g., water, alcohol, etc.) may be dried off (in other words, it may contain the solid components of the impregnating material).

[0047] The impregnation material having the above-mentioned amino group is preferably aluminum hydrazine sulfate, magnesium hydrazine sulfate, hydrazine phosphate, an organic amino compound, or a mixture thereof. These compounds have the advantage of being able to maintain their activity over a long period of time because they react well with the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the virus while having weak amino group activity.

[0048] Even if a functional group reacts with the polar groups (e.g., hydroxyl groups) on the surface of a virus, if it readily reacts with molecules and substances present in the air, it will have a short usable lifespan and will not be practical. What is needed is a functional group that can maintain sufficient activity to chemically react with the polar groups (e.g., hydroxyl groups) on the surface of a virus for six months to several years, even when left exposed to air. The impregnation material described above has a functional group that suitably possesses these properties.

[0049] In the adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention, the weight ratio of the hydrophilic porous inorganic material to the solid content of the impregnating material is not particularly limited, but the solid content of the impregnating material may be 0.1 to 50 parts by weight, 0.1 to 40 parts by weight, 0.1 to 30 parts by weight, 0.1 to 20 parts by weight, 0.1 to 10 parts by weight, 0.1 to 5 parts by weight, or 0.1 to 1 part by weight per 100 parts by weight of the hydrophilic porous inorganic material. With this configuration, the adsorbent can better capture viruses and better inactivate them.

[0050] (2-3. Other ingredients) The hydrophilic porous inorganic material according to one embodiment of the present invention preferably contains a lubricant (for example, an inorganic lubricant). It may also contain manganese dioxide. Examples of such lubricants include kaolin (kaolinite), smectite, and imogolite. By including such a lubricant, the moldability when the adsorbent is extruded can be improved.

[0051] Furthermore, by adding manganese dioxide to a hydrophilic porous inorganic material, the virus can be inactivated by the reactive oxygen species generated from the manganese dioxide. Since these reactive oxygen species remain within the adsorbent (in other words, the filter) according to one embodiment of the present invention and are not released, viruses can be efficiently inactivated, while the unwanted impact of the reactive oxygen species on the environment can be minimized.

[0052] Furthermore, while there is no particular lower limit to the temperature when manufacturing the adsorbent containing manganese dioxide, a higher temperature is preferable, and 100°C or higher is particularly preferable. This configuration has the advantage of being able to elicit a high level of reactivity (in other words, virus inactivation ability) from the reactive oxygen species derived from manganese dioxide.

[0053] (2-4. Forms of adsorbents) The shape of the adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be honeycomb-shaped, noodle-shaped, granular, or foil-shaped, and is preferably honeycomb-shaped. With this configuration, the adsorbent can better capture viruses and better inactivate them.

[0054] A honeycomb structure refers to a honeycomb-like structure with numerous through-holes surrounded by thin partitions. More specifically, a honeycomb structure refers to a shape in which many cells are uniformly distributed in a honeycomb-like manner. In one embodiment of the present invention, by coating and / or supporting an adsorbent material on the surface inside the cells, a three-dimensional adsorption function can be achieved, and the contact efficiency between the virus and the adsorbent can be increased. Furthermore, this configuration has the advantages of reducing equipment costs due to low pressure loss, eliminating the need for a binder in molding, and providing a flame-retardant adsorbent. In addition, a honeycomb structure has the advantage of a large surface area per unit volume (specific surface area) and low gas permeability resistance when passing through the honeycomb structure. That is, by using a honeycomb structure, the energy required for gas to pass through the structure can be suppressed, and the surface area in contact between the adsorbent material and the gas can be increased.

[0055] In the honeycomb structure described above, the number of cells is the number of cells per square inch, cpsi (= cells / inch). 2) represents. The number of cells according to one embodiment of the present application is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 cpsi or more, more preferably 50 cpsi or more, more preferably 100 cpsi or more, more preferably 150 cpsi or more, and even more preferably 200 cpsi or more. The upper limit of the number of cells according to one embodiment of the present application is not particularly limited, but may be 1000 cpsi or less, 500 cpsi or less, or 300 cpsi or less. When the thickness of the walls constituting the cells (hereinafter referred to as "wall thickness") is the same, the above configuration makes it possible to increase the specific surface area of ​​the adsorbent, so that the adsorbent can capture viruses better and inactivate them better.

[0056] The wall thickness of the honeycomb structure described above is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1.0 mm or less, more preferably 0.7 mm or less, and even more preferably 0.5 mm or less. The lower limit of the wall thickness of the honeycomb structure described above is not particularly limited, but may be 0.01 mm or more, 0.05 mm or more, or 0.1 mm or more. The above configuration has the effect of ensuring sufficient strength of the adsorbent material while reducing the weight of the adsorbent material.

[0057] While a large number of cells and thin walls are preferable, the adsorption capacity is proportional to the weight of the material, so if the wall thickness becomes too thin, the lifespan of the honeycomb structure will be shortened.

[0058] Here, the smaller the size of the unit cell in the opening, the larger the specific surface area of ​​the honeycomb structure can be. On the other hand, even if the size of the unit cell in the opening is small, the thicker the wall thickness, the smaller the opening area of ​​the cell through which a unit amount of gas passes. Therefore, if a unit amount of gas is to pass through the cell in a certain amount of time, the airflow velocity of the gas passing through the cell increases, and as a result, the ventilation resistance increases. For this reason, it is necessary to create a honeycomb structure with small unit cells in the opening and thin walls. From the viewpoint of creating a honeycomb structure with thin walls, it is preferable to add a lubricant.

[0059] The adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention is preferably a non-fired and dry material (a low-temperature dried material). With this configuration, an adsorbent with sufficient strength can be easily manufactured without going through a firing process.

[0060] [3. Method for manufacturing adsorbent] A method for manufacturing an adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention is: A process of forming an impregnated material by impregnating a hydrophilic porous inorganic material (optionally, a hydrophilic porous inorganic material containing a lubricant) with a solution containing an impregnating material, The process involves molding the impregnated material (for example, by extrusion molding) to form a molded body (for example, a honeycomb-shaped, noodle-shaped, granular, or foil-shaped molded body), The manufacturing method may include a step of drying the molded body (for example, drying at a low temperature).

[0061] A method for manufacturing an adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention is: A step of forming a molded body (for example, a honeycomb-shaped, noodle-shaped, granular, or foil-shaped molded body) by molding (for example, extrusion molding) a hydrophilic porous inorganic material (optionally, a hydrophilic porous inorganic material containing a lubricant), The process involves impregnating the above-mentioned molded body with a solution containing an additive to form an impregnated object, The manufacturing method may include a step of drying the impregnated material (for example, drying at a low temperature).

[0062] Regarding the configuration of the method for manufacturing the adsorbent according to one embodiment of the present invention, the configuration already described in [2. Adsorbent] above will be omitted here.

[0063] When forming materials, extrusion molding is preferred. Specific examples of extrusion molding include the honeycomb molding method and the noodle molding method.

[0064] In the honeycomb molding method, the outer shape of the holes that make up the honeycomb structure can be arbitrarily selected, such as circular, square, or triangular, using the die of the extrusion molding machine. The thickness of the adsorbent material is determined by where the extruded material is cut. [Examples]

[0065] One embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0066] The raw materials and equipment used in the examples and comparative examples are as follows: <Porous inorganic materials> ·silica gel Sepiolite Activated clay <Amino group-containing compounds> Aluminum hydrazine sulfate <Lubricant> Kaolin <Manganese dioxide> • Activated manganese dioxide <Inorganic binder sol> Alumina sol <virus> Influenza virus <Device> • Particle counter <Manufacturing of honeycomb structures containing amino groups> (Example 1) A porous inorganic material consisting of silica gel powder, sepiolite, and a lubricant, kaolin, was mixed in a weight ratio of 50:40:10. This porous inorganic material was then impregnated with an aqueous solution of aluminum hydrazine sulfate and kneaded.

[0067] After mixing, the mixture was extruded to form a honeycomb structure, and then air-dried for 24 hours. Subsequently, the honeycomb structure (wall thickness 0.5 mm, cell count 160 cpsi (= cells / inch)) was formed. 2 An adsorbent material was obtained.

[0068] (Comparative Example 1) The adsorbent was obtained using the same method as in Example 1, except that an aqueous solution of aluminum hydrazine sulfate was not added.

[0069] <Ethanol adsorption performance evaluation test> To investigate the reactivity of the amino groups in the adsorbent prepared in Example 1, an ethanol adsorption performance evaluation test was conducted by passing air containing ethanol through the adsorbent. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the ethanol adsorption performance evaluation test apparatus using the honeycomb-shaped adsorbent prepared in Example 1. Specifically, the honeycomb-shaped adsorbent 2 (50 mm x 50 mm, 50 mm thick) prepared in Example 1 was connected to a first container 1 containing air containing ethanol, and an air pump 3 (7 L / min.) was connected between the honeycomb-shaped adsorbent 2 and the second container 4 so that the gas that passed through the honeycomb-shaped adsorbent 2 would flow to the second container 4. The ethanol concentration before passing through the honeycomb-shaped adsorbent was set to 20 ppm. Table 1 shows the results of measuring the rate of decrease in ethanol concentration using the adsorbents prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1.

[0070] [Table 1]

[0071] The results in Table 1 clearly show that ethanol containing a hydroxyl group is effectively adsorbed and removed by a honeycomb-shaped adsorbent containing an amino group.

[0072] <Water Aerosol Capture Test> In Example 1, aerosols consisting of water with a particle size of 0.3 μm or less were passed through a honeycomb-shaped adsorbent (100 mm x 100 mm, 10 mm or 50 mm thick) prepared in the honeycomb-shaped adsorbent from one side to the other. The number of aerosols before and after passing through the honeycomb-shaped adsorbent was measured using a laser-type particle counter. Table 2 shows the number of aerosols before and after passing through the adsorbent. The 10 mm thick honeycomb-shaped adsorbent captured 97.9% of the aerosols, and the 50 mm thick honeycomb-shaped adsorbent captured 100% of the aerosols.

[0073] [Table 2]

[0074] <Influenza virus inactivation test> Cells infected with influenza virus were cultured to prepare a culture medium containing influenza virus. Next, an aerosol generated from the influenza virus-containing culture medium was passed through a sample consisting of a 10 mm thick honeycomb adsorbent prepared in Example 1 to capture the influenza virus. After that, the honeycomb adsorbent was crushed to recover the influenza virus, and the recovered influenza virus was used to reinfect cultured cells. This allowed us to investigate the inactivation rate of influenza virus by the honeycomb adsorbent. The same test was performed three times. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3. The influenza virus recovered from the honeycomb adsorbent could not reinfect the cultured cells, and as a result, the inactivation rate was calculated to be 100%.

[0075] [Table 3] [Industrial applicability]

[0076] This invention has developed a filter that captures 100% of virus-containing aerosols in a single pass and completely inactivates the captured viruses.

[0077] This invention can be used in an antiviral air purifier that is characterized by its ability to adsorb viruses that float in the air as aerosols and cause disease, and at the same time inactivate them. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1. First container 2. Honeycomb-shaped adsorbent 3. Air pump 4. Second container

Claims

1. It comprises a hydrophilic porous inorganic material containing an additive material having an amino group, The above-mentioned additive material having an amino group is aluminum hydrazine sulfate, magnesium hydrazine sulfate, hydrazine phosphate, or a mixture thereof. The above-mentioned hydrophilic porous inorganic material contains a lubricant, which is kaolin, smectite, or imogolite, and is an adsorbent for viruses.

2. The adsorbent according to claim 1, wherein the above-mentioned virus is contained in an aerosol.

3. The adsorbent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hydrophilic porous inorganic material is sepiolite, activated clay, silica gel, pargoskite, or a mixture thereof.

4. The above-mentioned hydrophilic porous inorganic material is an adsorbent according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising manganese dioxide.

5. The adsorbent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the hydrophilic porous inorganic material has a honeycomb structure.

6. The adsorbent described above is a non-fired and dried product, as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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