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International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences Research Article
Emerging graphene coated face masks: Antiviral potential and health risk assessment
Aileen Sonia Dhas P, Subha C, Lavanya R, Nafisa Farheen and Geetha C
Year : 2025 | Pages: 174-179
Received on: 18/09/2025
Revised on: 20/10/2025
Accepted on: 25/10/2025
Published on: 15/11/2025
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Aileen Sonia Dhas P, Subha C, Lavanya R, Nafisa Farheen and Geetha C( 2025).
Emerging graphene coated face masks: Antiviral potential and health risk assessment
. International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences, 10( 6), 174-179.
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Abstract
The rapid global spread of COVID-19 highlighted the critical need for effective personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly face masks capable of inactivating airborne pathogens. Graphene and its derivatives graphene oxide and graphene nanoplatelets have emerged as promising antimicrobial coating materials due to their unique physicochemical properties, including sharp-edged nanosheets, strong electrostatic interactions, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. These properties enable rapid deactivation of viruses and bacteria trapped on mask surfaces. However, the increased use of graphene-coated face masks has raised concerns regarding potential human health risks, especially the possibility of inhalation of graphene particles and associated lung toxicity. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the antiviral performance of graphene-based mask coatings, their mechanisms of pathogen inactivation, manufacturing advancements, and environmental benefits. It also critically examines recent toxicological studies, regulatory warnings, nanoparticle shedding risks, and long-term exposure implications. The findings suggest that while graphene-coated masks offer enhanced antiviral efficiency and reusability, further standardized safety assessments and regulatory frameworks are essential to ensure their safe integration into public health systems.
Keywords
Graphene-coated mask, Graphene oxide, Antiviral activity, Nanotoxicology, Face mask safety, COVID-19.
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© The Author(s) 2025. This article is published by International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (creativecommons.org), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
