Abstract
The role of personal protective equipment (PPE) in protecting against exposure to infectious agents and toxic chemicals is well-established. However, the global surge in PPE demand during the pandemic exposed challenges, including shortages and environmental impacts from disposable waste. Developing effective, scalable, and sustainable decontamination methods for the reuse of PPE is essential. Ozone has emerged as a promising, eco-friendly disinfectant due to its strong oxidative properties, rapid action, and residue-free breakdown into oxygen. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the FATHHOME Trinion Disinfector, an innovative ozone-based dry sterilization device, for inactivating pathogens on PPE materials, such as not resistant to oil 95 (N95) masks and face shields. The device's bactericidal performance was tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, achieving a 1- to 2-log reduction in these bacterial and fungal pathogens. A 30-minute ozone exposure cycle was found to attain maximum sterilization efficiency. We also demonstrated the disinfector's efficacy against viral pathogens, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), adeno-associated virus (AAV), herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) on PPE surfaces. SARS-CoV-2 contamination on face shields and N95 masks decreased by 99.9 %, and AAV infectivity was nearly eliminated. Similar reductions were observed for HSV-1 and HBV. Overall, the findings confirm that ozone-based disinfection offers a rapid, scalable, and sustainable method for decontaminating PPE. These results support the establishment of standardized ozone disinfection protocols to enhance infection control, address PPE shortages, and minimize environmental waste.