There is a need for non-pharmaceutical intervention methods that can prevent and indicate the risk of airborne disease spread. In this study, we developed a nonwoven mat based on the polyphenol gallic acid, which can inhibit pathogens growth and also indicate pathogen levels in the surrounding environment. Using nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and high-performance liquid chromatography, we characterized this novel gelatin-based nonwoven mat and investigated the mechanism governing its ability to indicate pathogen levels. We demonstrated that the incorporation of gallic acid serves a vital role in indicating the presence of bacteria, causing the nonwoven mat to change in color from white to brown. We have proposed a plausible mechanism for this color change behavior based on a reaction of gallic acid with components excreted by bacteria, including glutamate, valine, and leucine. The concentrations of these components reflect the bacterial counts, enabling a real-time indication of pathogen levels in the surrounding air. In summary, the nonwoven mat presented herein can serve as an excellent antibacterial agent and as an indicator of nearby bacteria for fabricating personal protection equipment like filtration mask.
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