Air Ionization for Removal and Deactivation of Airborne Disease Pathogens in Animal Production Operations

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Animal diseases have numerous economic and social impacts. A current example is African Swine Fever which has devastated the swine industry and caused price hikes and shortage of pork in East Asian countries. An important route of animal disease transmission is through airborne bioaerosols, such as small liquid aerosols from sneezing and dust from dry feces. Bioaerosols carry disease pathogens and spread them through air movement. An effective and economically viable technology for reducing bioaerosols in animal production facilities is air ionization, which can simply be achieved by corona discharge. While much research has shown that air ionization is effective in reducing bioaerosols in the air, there is a lack of understanding of multiple physical and biological processes involved in air ionization for removal and deactivation of airborne pathogens. This proposed research focuses on fostering the understanding of air ionization for preventing airborne disease transmission in animal operations.      The long-term objectives of my research program are: (1) to advance the knowledge of air contaminates (bioaerosols and odorous gases) in animal production operations in terms of their origins, physical, chemical and biological characteristics, and emissions; and (2) to develop effective methods for controlling emissions of air contaminants in animal production operations to improve animal health and reduce airborne transmission of animal diseases. The specific objectives for the next five years are to: (1) develop an integrated model for simulating the physical and biological processes involved in air ionization for removal and deactivation of airborne pathogens; and (2) conduct experiments in a swine barn to validate the model and assess the model for practical applications. A common swine disease virus, PRRSV (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus), will be used as an investigational agent for model development and validation. However, the modelling framework to be developed will be applicable to other airborne diseases that impact animals and human beings, such as influenza.      My proposed approach will include three main components: (1) to develop a modelling framework to predict how bioaerosols and ions move and interact in the air by considering the effects of air currents and electrical fields; (2) to conduct laboratory experiments to investigate the effects and mechanisms of air ions on infectivity of viruses; and (3) evaluate the practical applicability of air ionization in pig barns. The novelty of this proposed research lies in the integration of engineering/physics of air ionization with the biological effect of ions on pathogens. This research will lead to better understanding of how air ionization works, and ultimately provide a theoretical foundation for designing, operating and evaluating air ionization systems for better air quality and more effective disease control in animal production operations.