[ The World Times ] Korean Professor Develops a Game-changing Mask in Canada
On Feb. 5, a news segment that aired on Canada's premier broadcaster, CTV, introduced a mask that kills pathogens, calling it a game-changer. The developer of the mask, Choi Hyo-jik, a Korean professor at the University of Alberta's Chemical and Materials Engineering Department, said in the interview that the sharp edges of the salt coated on the mask's filter pierce and inactivate some viruses.
According to Choi, salt can neutralize viruses like the coronavirus in five minutes. When droplets like saliva or aerosols in the air are caught on the salt-coated mask, they evaporate after melting the salt. During the evaporating process, salt crystals grow, destroying viruses with their sharp edges. While medical face makes can block some germs, germs also linger on their surfaces. We also touch masks often for several reasons, helping the germs get into our body.
Salt has a crystalline molecular structure, which gives it hard and sharp corners that can pierce viruses and make them useless.
Choi's team found that they can inactivate three strains of the influenza virus using the mask.
*segment n. 부분 / She cleaned a small segment of the painting.
(오랜지.레몬등의 ) 한쪽, 한조각, 잘라낸 부분
v. (여러부분으로) 나누다, 분할하다
/ Market researchers often segment the population on the basis of age and social class.
*pathogen n. 병원균, 병원체 / There was no known pathogen, no signs of contagion.
*coat n. 외투,코트
v. (얇은 막처럼) 덮다, 입히다 / cookies thicky coated with chocolate
*pierce v. (뾰족한 기구로) 뚫다, 찌르다 / The arrow pierced his shoulder.
*inactivate v. 활동을 정지시키다, 비활성화하다
/ The disinfection units destroy bacteria and inactivate viruses but do not remove chemical pollutants.
*neutralize v. 무효화시키다, 상쇄시키다. / The latest figures should neutralize the fears of inflation.
*droplet n. 작은 방울, 작은 물방울 / Does it come out in droplets? 이거 원래 이렇게 한 방울씩 나오는 거야?
*saliva n. 침, 타액 / *spit saliva 침을 뱉다 / *saliva spatters 침이 튀다. / *swallow one's saliva 군침을 삼키다.
*aerosol n.에어로졸, 연무제(연무약), 분무제(분무약)
/ The pollution comes from chemicals used in refrigeration, plastic foams, or aerosol sprays.
*evaporate v. (액체가) 증발하다, (액체를) 증발시키다. / Heat until all the water has evaporated
(차츰) 사라지다, 증발하다, 감소하다 / Her confidence had now completely evaporated.
*germ n. 세균, 미생물
*molecular a. 분자의, 분자로 된, 분자에 의한. / *molecule n. 분자
*linger v. (예상보다 오래) 남아있다 / The faint smell of her perfume lingered in the room.
(자리를 떠나고 싶지 않아서) 더 오래 머물다.
/ She lingered for a few minutes to talk to Nick.
(시선. 생각이 ) ~에 오래 머물다.
/ His eyes lingered on the diamond ring on her finger.
(시름시름 하면서 죽지는 않고) 버티다, 목숨을 부지하다.
/ He lingered on for several months after the heart attack.
*strain n. 부담, 중압(감) / Their marriage is under great strain at the moment.
압박, 압력 / The rope broke under the strain.
(근육 등의) 염좌, 좌상 / leg strain
(동식물질병 등의)종류, 유형 / a new strain of mosquitoes resistant to the poison.