Effect of NO 2 on airborne Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus

Studies were conducted to determine the effect of nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) on aerosol survival and biological decay rate of Venezulean equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus and spores of Bacillus subtilis var. niger. The NO(2) concentrations used in the experiments were 0.5, 5, and 10 ppm at 24 C and 85% RH. The survival of airborne VEE virus disseminated as particles 1 to 5 mum in diameter was significantly influenced by the presence of 5 ppm of NO(2). At this concentration, the biological decay rate increased threefold and the aerosol recovery and aerosol survival of the VEE virus were significantly lower than at 0.5 ppm or in the absence of NO(2). Airborne spores of B. subtilis were not significantly affected by as much as 10 ppm of NO(2).