Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2025
Detection of Viruses from Bioaerosols Using Anion Exchange Resin
Published on: August 22, 2018
An Assessment of the Efficacy of Commercial Air Ionizer Systems Against a SARS-CoV-2 Surrogate
Nachiket Vaze1, Brittany Gold2, Douglas Lindsey3
1Nanoscience and Advanced Materials Center, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
Abstract:
Airborne transmission has been implicated as a major route for the spread of microorganisms, causing infectious disease outbreaks worldwide. This has been emphasized by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. There is thus an unmet need to develop technologies that arrest the spread of airborne infectious diseases by inactivating viruses in the air. In this study, the efficacy of two commercially available air ionizer systems for inactivating the bacteriophage MS2, which has been utilized as a surrogate of SARS-CoV-2 as well as a surrogate of noroviruses, was assessed. An experimental test apparatus similar to an HVAC duct system was utilized for the efficacy testing. Each of the two ionizer devices was challenged with viral aerosols of the bacteriophage MS2. The results indicate that the two ionizers were able to reduce the concentration of bacteriophage MS2 virus in the air by 82.02% and 81.72%, respectively. These results point to the efficacy of these ionizer devices in inactivating airborne microorganisms and thus making them an important tool in arresting the spread of infectious diseases. More studies are needed to assess their efficacy against other important airborne viruses such as influenza and strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Insights
Two commercial air ionizers effectively reduced airborne MS2 virus, a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2, by over 80%. These findings highlight air ionizers as a potential tool to combat the spread of airborne infectious diseases.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Infectious disease control
- Air purification technologies
Background:
- Airborne transmission is a significant route for infectious disease spread, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- There is a critical need for technologies to inactivate airborne viruses and prevent disease transmission.
- Bacteriophage MS2 serves as a reliable surrogate for human viruses like SARS-CoV-2 and noroviruses in aerosol studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of two commercial air ionizer systems in inactivating airborne bacteriophage MS2.
- To assess the potential of air ionizers as a tool for controlling airborne infectious agents.
Main Methods:
- An experimental test apparatus simulating an HVAC duct system was used for efficacy testing.
- Viral aerosols of bacteriophage MS2 were generated and exposed to two different air ionizer devices.
- The reduction in viral concentration in the air was measured after treatment by the ionizers.
Main Results:
- Both tested air ionizer systems demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing airborne MS2 virus concentrations.
- One system achieved an 82.02% reduction, while the other achieved an 81.72% reduction in airborne MS2.
- These results indicate a substantial inactivation of the surrogate virus by the tested air ionizers.
Conclusions:
- Commercial air ionizers show promise as effective tools for inactivating airborne microorganisms, including viral surrogates.
- Air ionizer technology can contribute to mitigating the spread of airborne infectious diseases.
- Further research is recommended to validate efficacy against specific airborne viruses like influenza and SARS-CoV-2 strains.
