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In situ airborne virus inactivation by microwave irradiation
1State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China.
Chinese Science Bulletin = Kexue Tongbao
|March 28, 2020
Summary
Direct microwave irradiation effectively inactivates airborne viruses like MS2 coliphage. High power levels achieved over 90% inactivation, damaging viral RNA and surfaces, offering a filtration-free mitigation strategy.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Engineering
Background:
- Infectious diseases incur significant human and economic costs annually.
- Previous research explored microwave inactivation of bacterial, fungal, and allergen aerosols.
- This study extends the investigation to airborne viruses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of direct microwave irradiation for inactivating airborne viruses.
- To determine the impact of different microwave power levels and exposure times on viral inactivation.
- To analyze the physical and genetic damage to viruses post-treatment.
Main Methods:
- Aerosolized MS2 coliphage (a model human virus) was exposed to microwave irradiation at 700 W, 385 W, and 119 W for approximately 2 minutes.
- Viral survival rates were assessed.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis were used to examine viral genes before and after treatment.
- Scanning electron microscopy was employed to observe physical damage to viral surfaces.
Main Results:
- Microwave irradiation at 700 W for ~2 minutes resulted in >90% inactivation of airborne MS2 viruses.
- Inactivation efficiencies were approximately 65% at 385 W and 50% at 119 W.
- A linear relationship was observed between aerosol inactivation rate and microwave exposure time (R² = 0.9889).
- Scanning electron microscopy revealed surface damage to viruses.
- PCR analysis showed damage to viral RNA genes, with the A protein gene being completely destroyed.
Conclusions:
- Direct microwave irradiation is a rapid and effective method for inactivating airborne viruses, even without filtration.
- The study demonstrates significant physical and genetic damage to viruses caused by microwave exposure.
- Findings provide guidance for developing microwave-based solutions for viral aerosol mitigation in enclosed spaces.
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