1. Evaluation of a bioaerosol sampler for indoor environmental surveillance of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2.
- Author
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Horve PF, Dietz L, Northcutt D, Stenson J, and Van Den Wymelenberg K
- Subjects
- Genome, Viral, Humans, RNA, Viral genetics, SARS-CoV-2 genetics, Aerosols analysis, COVID-19 diagnosis, COVID-19 virology, Environmental Monitoring, SARS-CoV-2 physiology
- Abstract
The worldwide spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has ubiquitously impacted many aspects of life. As vaccines continue to be manufactured and administered, limiting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 will rely more heavily on the early identification of contagious individuals occupying reopened and increasingly populated indoor environments. In this study, we investigated the utility of an impaction-based bioaerosol sampling system with multiple nucleic acid collection media. Heat-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 was utilized to perform bench-scale, short-range aerosol, and room-scale aerosol experiments. Through bench-scale experiments, AerosolSense Capture Media (ACM) and nylon flocked swabs were identified as the highest utility media. In room-scale aerosol experiments, consistent detection of aerosol SARS-CoV-2 was achieved at an estimated aerosol concentration equal to or greater than 0.089 genome copies per liter of room air (gc/L) when air was sampled for eight hours or more at less than one air change per hour (ACH). Shorter sampling periods (75 minutes) yielded consistent detection at ~31.8 gc/L of room air and intermittent detection down to ~0.318 gc/L at (at both 1 and 6 ACH). These results support further exploration in real-world testing scenarios and suggest the utility of indoor aerosol surveillance as an effective risk mitigation strategy in occupied buildings., Competing Interests: Van Den Wymelenberg has a company called Duktile through which he provides healthy building consulting, including consulting related to viral pathogens, and he serves as a scientific advisor to EnviralTech, a company that conducts viral surface environmental surveillance, including in senior care facilities. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials
- Published
- 2021
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