Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 21, 2026
Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs
Published on: April 9, 2021
The Stability of an Isolate of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 Lineage in Aerosols Is Similar to 3 Earlier Isolates
Michael Schuit1, Jennifer Biryukov1, Katie Beck1
1National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA.
Background:
Our laboratory previously examined the influence of environmental conditions on the stability of an early isolate of SARS-CoV-2 (hCoV-19/USA/WA-1/2020) in aerosols generated from culture medium or simulated saliva. However, genetic differences have emerged among SARS-CoV-2 lineages, and it is possible that these differences may affect environmental stability and the potential for aerosol transmission.
Methods:
The influence of temperature, relative humidity, and simulated sunlight on the decay of 4 SARS-CoV-2 isolates in aerosols, including 1 belonging to the recently emerged B.1.1.7 lineage, were compared in a rotating drum chamber. Aerosols were generated from simulated respiratory tract lining fluid to represent aerosols originating from the deep lung.
Results:
No differences in the stability of the isolates were observed in the absence of simulated sunlight at either 20°C or 40°C. However, a small but statistically significant difference in the stability was observed between some isolates in simulated sunlight at 20°C and 20% relative humidity.
Conclusions:
The stability of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols does not vary greatly among currently circulating lineages, including B.1.1.7, suggesting that the increased transmissibility associated with recent SARS-CoV-2 lineages is not due to enhanced survival in the environment.
More Related Videos
09:02Infection of Primary Nasal Epithelial Cells Grown at an Air-Liquid Interface to Characterize Human Coronavirus-Host Interactions
Published on: September 22, 2023
09:26Quantification and Whole Genome Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater and Air Samples
Published on: June 30, 2023
