A recent study published in the Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids has found that the structure of the coronavirus may be vulnerable to the vibrations of an ultrasound with frequencies commonly used in medical diagnostic imagining. Although this was a simulation based study of the pressure waves on the virus shell. I am more curious about the practical application. We can generate ultrasound in that frequency range and required amplitude but what about practical experiment with Covid-19 infected patient? What approach may be suitable? Any suggestions in this regard please. Thanks
Dear P K Dubey,
I don't think that Ulta sound of the frequency of about 25 MHz can destroy virus.
I may be wrong in my thinking.
Still to find the truth one Experiment can be designed to find what happens.
One glass chamber containing any type of virus or bacteria in proper media can be designed.
After that Ulta sound can be passed through that virus/ bacteria containing chamber for different time duration.
Each time the effect of ulta sound on the virus/ bacteria can be studied.
If any change in population is observed, further development can be thought.
One more point is that if it happens that virus or bacteria is being affected by Ultrasound, then definitely there is a chance to affect the human body.
Thanks
N Das
Dear Nityananda Das,
Thanks for your feedback. Actually, it depends on the physical properties of the corona virus shell which I believe that still lot of research is going on in this area. I know that generation of ultrasound of that level of intensity at frequencies above 25 MHz which may destroy the corona virus shell is extremely challenging. The ultrasound may damage virus in water as claimed in the literature but more problem comes when applying to human having covid-19 infection. The harmful effects of ultrasound are well known and may impact tissues. This approach may be useful as a disinfectant but at the same time other low cost approaches are also available and are being used in the society. This is only my views based on my experience in the field of ultrasound others may kindly append if I am wrong at some point.
Dear P. K. Dubey thank you for your interesting technical question. Yes, apparently it is possible to destroy or damage coronaviruses using ultrasound. For more information please have a look at the following useful links:
1. Ultrasound has potential to damage coronaviruses, study finds
https://news.mit.edu/2021/ultrasound-coronaviruses-damage-0316
2. Ultrasound vibrations can quickly damage coronavirus: Study
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/ultrasound-vibrations-can-quickly-damage-coronavirus-study/article34083002.ece
It is for sure that the frequency or better to say natural frequency has a role but the current scenario is different. We need more study to come to this conclusion.
Assuming that the MIT simulation study is confirmed experimentally, it remains that ultrasound in the 25-100MHz frequency range will not penetrate very deep in biological tissues. So if your question relates to the treatment of patients affected by coronavirus using such a high-frequency ultrasound, the answer is that it is extremely unlikely to happen. On the other hand, if the virus can be destroyed by ultrasound in the clinical frequency range (