Development of cationic lignin derivatives as sustainable virucidal agents against coronaviruses.

Publication date: Jul 14, 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to develop effective materials for inactivating pathogens. In this study, the cationization of lignin with glycidyl trimethylammonium chloride (GTMAC) was investigated as a sustainable strategy for producing agents to inactivate the coronavirus. Derivatives with different degrees of substitution (42. 5 %, 47. 3 %, and 53. 5 %) were successfully produced. Physicochemical characterization of the samples demonstrated that the cationization of lignin improves its solubility to values above 50 g/L in both neutral and acidic media and a reduction in its thermal stability at temperatures above 200 ^0C. The cationization results in a positive charge in the samples, ranging from 24. 5 mV to 28. 8 mV, however, GTMAC proportions greater than 3. 5 relative to lignin in the cationization reaction do not seem to influence the zeta potential. The cationized samples were notably efficient in inhibiting the MHV-3 coronavirus, with inactivation rates of up to 99. 999 % within 5 min. These findings show the potential of cationized lignin derivatives as safe and sustainable candidates to deal with future disease outbreaks.

Semantics

Original Article