Antimicrobial ceramic foam composite air filter prepared from Moroccan red clay, phosphate sludge waste and biopolymer

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of air sterilization and disinfection. Besides the regular cleaning and disinfection of surfaces it is at least as important to reduce the number of airborne microorganisms as they are known to play an important role in the spreading of different infections. Herein, we report a facile preparation of a porous air filter ceramic composite material, suitable for the effectively eliminating airborne microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity of the ceramic foam could be attributed to a thin chitosan biopolymer layer immobilized on the ceramic surface. Furthermore, as the ceramic foam was prepared on phosphate sludge waste and Moroccan red clay basis, this research opens new routes towards the valorization of solid industrial or mining wastes or other yet unused abundant materials, as well.