Low-Cost Versatile Sampler for Personal PM Exposure by Microenvironment

总结 遏制SARS-CoV-2大流行的传播是一项主要的公共卫生优先事项。的相对重要性 各种传输模式（例如，表面接触、大液滴撞击、小液滴气溶胶），然而， 仍然不确定。这种不确定性妨碍了控制的优先次序，并破坏了现行 指导方针（例如，6英尺社交距离规则）。因此，需要进行研究，以阐明大型 液滴或精细模式气雾剂吸入是疾病传播可行模式。一个主要的限制， 现有的研究是，尚未在个人的呼吸区域内收集气溶胶样本 （无论他们是否感染）;这一限制源于现有的医疗费用和身体负担。 个人（可穿戴）空气采样技术。我们建议采用在我们的 现有拨款（R33 ES 024719个人PM暴露用低成本多功能采样器），用于检测 雾化的SARS-CoV-2 RNA在人类呼吸带内。我们建议收集以下类型的 来自科罗拉多的活跃的健康护理设施的真实世界空气样本：1）患者呼吸区（有症状的， 无症状），2）房间区域（表面和空气），和3）医护人员呼吸区。我们亦建议 使用一种新的低成本微流控分析定量病毒RNA水平。我们假设增强的生物脱落 的SARS-CoV-2气溶胶将出现在受感染个体的呼吸区（相对于匹配的样本 在6英尺的距离处收集）。此外，我们将对液滴（高达100 µm）和肺进行测试。 通过按颗粒大小分离收集的样品来穿透（< 10 µm）气溶胶。所得到的资料 这项研究将告知利益相关者个人防护设备的相对重要性， 距离和局部通风控制。

Summary Stemming the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is a leading public health priority. The relative importance of various transmission modes (e.g., surface contact, large droplet impact, small droplet aerosol), however, remains uncertain. This uncertainty hinders the prioritization of controls and undermines the validity of current guidelines (e.g., the 6-ft social distancing rule). Therefore, research is needed to elucidate whether large droplet or fine-mode aerosol inhalation are viable modes of disease transmittance. A major limitation of the extant research is that aerosol samples have not been collected within the breathing zone of individuals (whether they are infected or not); this limitation stems from the cost and physical burden posed by existing personal (wearable) air sampling technologies. We propose to adapt technologies developed under our existing grant (R33ES024719 Low-Cost, Versatile Sampler for Personal PM Exposure) for the detection of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 RNA within the human breathing zone. We propose to collect the following types of real-world air samples from active healthcare facilities in Colorado: 1) patient breathing zone (symptomatic and asymptomatic), 2) room area (surface and air), and 3) healthcare worker breathing zone. We also propose to quantify viral RNA levels using a novel low-cost microfluidic assay. We hypothesize that enhanced bioshedding of SARS-CoV-2 aerosol will occur in the breathing zone of infected individuals (relative to matched samples collected at a 6-ft distance). Further, we will test this hypothesis for both droplet (up to 100 µm) and lung- penetrating (< 10 µm) aerosol by segregating collected samples by particle size. The information gained from this research will inform stakeholders about the relative importance of personal protective equipment, personal distancing, and local ventilation controls.