A group of Krasnodar State University alumni in Russia’s Black Sea region has developed efficacious nanosized filaments to be used in medical masks and in disposable filters for respirators, the TASS News Agency portal reported.

“We started research back in late March with kerosene soot particles which are the size of the coronavirus. We checked for saturability the conventional fabric, typically used in medical masks, and our nanosized filaments,” said Dmitry Lopatin, one of the scientists, adding that the team found the new fibers to be more helpful in keeping off the coronavirus than the conventional ones.

When the current COVID-19 pandemic is over, the new fibers could also be used to make water purification and desalination systems.