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Effects of Environmental Conditions, Suspension Liquid, and Particle Size on SARS-CoV-2 Persistence in Aerosols
MICHAEL SCHUIT, Shanna Ratnesar-Shumate, Jason Yolitz, Gregory Williams, Wade Weaver, Brian Green, David Miller, Melissa Krause, Katie Beck, Stewart Wood, Brian Holland, Jordan Bohannon, Denise Freeburger, Idris Hooper, Michael Hevey, Paul Dabisch, DHS NBACC
Abstract Number: 429
Working Group: The Role of Aerosol Science in the Understanding of the Spread and Control of COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases
Abstract
Aerosol transmission has been implicated in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 by both epidemiological and direct sampling studies. However, the potential for aerosol transmission in specific scenarios is affected by a variety of factors, including the susceptibility of the virus to inactivation by environmental parameters. To better understand the potential for SARS-CoV-2 aerosol transmission in different settings, our laboratory conducted a series of studies in two environmentally-controlled rotating drum aerosol chambers to determine the effects of temperature, relative humidity, and simulated sunlight on SARS-CoV-2 decay in aerosols. Aerosols were generated from suspensions of virus in either culture medium, simulated saliva, or simulated respiratory tract lining fluid, with target mass median aerodynamic diameters of either two or four microns to assess the effects of suspension liquid and particle size on the virus’s susceptibility to environmental parameters. Temperature, simulated sunlight, and humidity all influenced SARS-CoV-2 infectivity, although simulated sunlight had the largest effect. Small differences in responses to environmental parameters were observed between suspension liquids and particle sizes, though general trends were similar. Overall, decay rates ranged from near zero in darkness at 10°C to approximately 40%/min in full intensity simulated sunlight at 20% RH and 40°C. These results can be used to better understand the potential of SARS-CoV-2 to transmit by the aerosol route and to inform risk mitigation strategies in both indoor and outdoor settings.