RAPID: Airborne CoV-2 Viability and Oxidation

该RAPID项目旨在提高对COVID-19大流行背后的病毒（SARS） CoV-2通过亚微米空气传播的了解。将进行室内实验，以帮助确定（SARS） CoV-2在亚微米气溶胶中的存活时间，以及大气氧化、颗粒大小和其他环境条件如何影响其存活能力。该团队包括知名的传染病科学家、冠状病毒微生物学家和气溶胶科学家，他们拥有独特的技术和仪器组合。本研究的两个目标是：(1)在存在/不存在臭氧（O3）和羟基（OH）自由基的情况下（分别），将一种非致病性冠状病毒模型嵌入亚微米气溶胶中，进行对照室实验，研究大气氧化对其生存能力的影响；(2)在至少2个地点（例如，污水处理厂、医院、日托所、养老院、杂货店、教室）使用新型BioSpot采样器和明胶过滤器采样器测量气溶胶中（SARS） CoV-2和非致病性T3噬菌体的浓度，如果检测到活病毒，则检查空气中O3或OH自由基治疗灭活空气中（SARS） CoV-2病毒的能力。这项研究有望使人们更好地了解冠状病毒在亚微米气溶胶中的生存能力。预计这一努力将提供与改进缓解措施和室内/室外共享空间的设计有关的信息，这些空间更能抵御呼吸道病毒的传播，更有利于保护公众健康。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This RAPID project seeks to improve the understanding of the airborne transmission of (SARS) CoV-2, the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic, via sub-micron airborne particles. Chamber experiments will be conducted to help determine how long (SARS) CoV-2 remains viable in sub-micron aerosol and how atmospheric oxidation, particle size, and other environmental conditions affect viability. The team includes well-established infectious-disease scientists, coronavirus microbiologists and aerosol scientists with a unique combination of techniques and instruments.The two objectives of this research are to: (1) Conduct controlled chamber experiments using a non-pathogenic model coronavirus embedded in submicron aerosol in the presence/absence of ozone (O3) and hydroxyl (OH) radicals (separately) to examine how viability is influenced by atmospheric oxidation; and (2) Measure the concentrations of (SARS) CoV-2 and non-pathogenic T3 bacteriophage in aerosol with a novel BioSpot sampler and a gelatin filter sampler in at least 2 locations (e.g., wastewater treatment plant, hospital, daycare, nursing home, grocery store, classroom), and if viable viruses are detected to examine the ability of airborne O3 or OH radical treatment to inactivate the airborne (SARS) CoV-2 virus. This research is expected to lead to a better understanding of the viability of coronaviruses in sub-micron aerosol. It is anticipated that this effort will provide information relevant to the improved design of mitigation measures and shared indoor/outdoor spaces that are more resilient to respiratory virus transmission and more conducive to protecting public health.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.