Structure of water from matrix isolation to bulk forms: Utilization in COVID-19 Research

Valeriy Pogorelov, Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University of Ukraine, Ukraine

Intermolecular hydrogen bonding, which is formed between water molecules, causes a variety of liquid water unique properties. These properties of water must be taken in to account at the preparing of the vaccine against Coronavirus-19. Our investigations are devoted to the experimental FTIR studies results of water trapped in Ar matrix at temperatures from 10 to 50 K as well as condensed water at temperatures from 133 to 293 K. It is shown that temperature evolution for FTIR-spectra of water trapped in cryo Ar-matrices can be considered as an experimental model of the water structure transformation during the phase transition from gas phase to condensed confined water [1, 2]. 

Recent coronavirus pandemic initiated several diagnostic, therapeutic researches and innovation along with vaccine development work world-wide [3-5]. Peculiarities of the water structure which one need to take into account at the preparation Vaccine against the viruses Covid-19. Considering the water role in COVID-19 as essential components in humidating effect and evident detrimental effect of dry air on our mucosal barrier and its role of the first line of defense against infection, its must to do research on water structure too [6].

The FTIR spectra comparison of water in Ar-matrices with the corresponding spectra of  bulk water allows us to conclude that bulk water structure consist from clusters of different sizes. These clusters are elementary volume units of hydrogen bonded networks. The comparison of the water vibrational spectra change with temperature in Ar matrix and in condensed phase allows us to conclude that intermolecular H-bonding can be seen in the water intracluster vibrational spectra. And they are absent in the isolated water molecules spectra. These vibrational spectra contain information about peculiarities of water cluster structure in cryomatrices and in condensed phase. Water cluster structure in condensed phase is changing with temperature. Number of big size clusters (4 – 6 molecules per cluster) is increasing while cooling [7]. Thus water in condensed phase is a complex cluster structure; its cluster composition is changing with temperature.

Cluster compositions of different sizes are depicting themselves through unusual water properties with unusual behavior at different temperatures. Our investigation results allow us to consider condensed water as hydrogen bonded Continuous Molecular Networks, where molecular clusters are structural units. One must take into account that such networks are created from clusters as structural units, and for liquid water the number of molecules in each cluster is not bigger than four. Networks of supercooled water contains five-molecule clusters, what don’t allow to build the crystalline structure and explain the water density increase at temperatures below 273 K (so-called low density water). 

Finally, promotion of active re-humidification of dry air in all public and private heated spaces along with humidified air of patients on ventilators should be best strategies [8]. Although, structural role of water in vaccine and therapeutic use is not studies till now, however it’s important to consider such kind of research for better understanding and we recommended it for future research.

Reference

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