Surfactant physicochemical properties produce divergent inactivation mechanisms for enveloped viruses

Authors

• Caryn L. Heldt, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow

Document Type

Data

Publication Date

10-5-2026

Abstract

Environmentally sustainable surfactants offer an opportunity to improve viral safety strategies in biotherapeutic manufacturing while reducing reliance on conventional detergents such as Triton X-100. However, selecting among these alternatives requires a mechanistic understanding of how surfactant physicochemical properties influence viral inactivation. In this study, eco-friendly zwitterionic amine oxides and nonionic glucosides were evaluated as potential viral inactivation surfactants using three enveloped virus models: Suid herpesvirus, herpes simplex virus, and xenotropic murine leukemia virus. By combining infectivity assays with biophysical characterization, we examined how surfactant class, alkyl chain length, headgroup chemistry, and concentration relative to the critical micelle concentration influenced both viral infectivity and virion morphology. Comparative analysis revealed that surfactant treatment can induce multiple inactivation pathways, including aggregation-driven enlargement, swelling-like membrane expansion, and loss of infectivity without substantial changes in particle size or morphology. These outcomes indicate that complete virion disassembly is not required for effective inactivation and that localized disruption of envelope lipids, viral surface proteins, or envelope-associated structures can be sufficient to eliminate infectivity. Herpesviruses showed greater membrane deformation and expansion, whereas the more compact retrovirus favored aggregation-dominated or minimally disruptive pathways. Surfactants that had stronger micelle association were able to inactivate virus below and above their critical micelle concentration. By linking surfactant physicochemical properties to virus-specific structural responses, this study advances the development of sustainable surfactant alternatives for viral clearance in biotherapeutic manufacturing.

Recommended Citation

Heldt, C. L. (2026). Surfactant physicochemical properties produce divergent inactivation mechanisms for enveloped viruses.
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/all-datasets/82