The size distribution of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in airborne particles sampled in hospital and home care environments occupied by COVID-19 positive subjects

Cvitešić Kušan, Ana; Baranašić, Jurica; Frka, Sanja; Lucijanić, Tomo; Šribar, Andrej; Knežević, Jelena; Buonanno, Giorgio; Stabile, Luca (2023) The size distribution of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in airborne particles sampled in hospital and home care environments occupied by COVID-19 positive subjects. Science of the Total Environment, 892 . ISSN 1879-1026

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Abstract

Characterizing the size distribution of airborne particles carrying SARS-CoV-2 virus is essential for understanding and predicting airborne transmission and spreading of COVID-19 disease in hospitals as well as public and home indoor settings. Nonetheless, few data are currently available on virus-laden particle size distribution. Thus, the aim of this study is reporting the total concentrations and size distributions of SARS-CoV-2- genetic material in airborne particles sampled in hospital and home environments. A nanoMOUDI R122 cascade impactor (TSI, USA) was used to collect size-segregated aerosol down to the sub-micron range in home and in three different hospital environments in presence of infected patients in order to provide the concentration of airborne SARS-CoV-2 genetic material for each particle size range at different sampling locations. Providing one of the largest datasets of detailed size-fractionated airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA to date, we found that 45.2 % of the total sub- and super-micrometric fractions were positive for SARS-CoV-2 with its genetic material being present in 17.7 % of sub-micrometric (0.18–1 μm) and 81.9 % of super-micrometric (>1 μm) fractions. The highest concentration of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in total suspended particles (5.6 ± 3.4 RNA copies m−3 ) was detected in the room occupied with patients with more severe COVID-19 symptoms collected during the patients' high flow nasal oxygen therapy. The highest concentration at certain particle size fraction strongly depends on the sampling environment. However, the contribution of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material was in favour of super-micrometric compared to sub-micrometric particle size range. The evaluation of the individual risk of infection was carried out on the basis of the obtained data considering a hypothetical exposure scenario. The obtained results indicate the necessity of the protective masks in presence of infected subjects, especially while staying for longer period of time in the hospital environments.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Airborne virus transmission; Indoor air; Particle size-distribution; Risk assessment; Submicrometric particles
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE
Divisions:	Division for Marine and Enviromental Research Division of Molecular Medicine
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Evaluation of airborne SARS-CoV-2 transmission and size-distribution in the primary respiratory-intensive care centre for the treatment of COVID-19 positive patients) Ana Cvitešić Kušan UNSPECIFIED HAZU Biokemijski odgovori površinskog sloja oligotrofnog područja Jadranskog mora na atmosfersko taloženje-BiREADI Sanja Frka Milosavljević IP-2018-01-3105 HRZZ
Depositing User:	Ana Cvitešić Kušan
Date Deposited:	05 Oct 2023 12:52
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/8155
DOI:	10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164642

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