Inactivation of airborne SARS-Co-V2 using NTP-UVGI hybrid process

Area of Science:

• Environmental microbiology
• Plasma physics
• Infectious disease control

Background:

• Healthcare environments are critical hubs for the transmission of viral infectious diseases.
• Controlling airborne pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 is essential to prevent outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a novel pathogenic agents' treatment system (PATS) for inactivating SARS-CoV-2.
• To assess the combined efficacy of non-thermal plasma (NTP) and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) in a single system.

Main Methods:

• A PATS was developed integrating NTP and UVGI processes.
• Exhaled air from COVID-19 patients served as the SARS-CoV-2 source.
• Air samples were collected before and after treatment for analysis using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Main Results:

• The PATS demonstrated high efficiency in treating collected pathogens.
• RT-PCR results showed a significant reduction in SARS-CoV-2 viral load, with CT values increasing from <29 to >40 post-treatment.
• Individual NTP and UVGI reactors also operated at optimal efficiency.

Conclusions:

• The developed PATS effectively eliminates SARS-CoV-2 from airborne emissions.
• PATS shows promise for application in hospitals and intensive care units to reduce pathogen exposure risks.
• This technology can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in healthcare settings.