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

动物疾病具有许多经济和社会影响。目前的一个例子是非洲猪瘟，它摧毁了养猪业，导致东亚国家的猪肉价格上涨和短缺。动物疾病传播的一个重要途径是通过空气传播的生物气溶胶，如打喷嚏产生的小液体气溶胶和干燥粪便产生的灰尘。生物气溶胶携带疾病病原体并通过空气运动传播。在动物生产设施中减少生物气溶胶的一种有效且经济可行的技术是空气电离，这可以简单地通过电晕放电实现。虽然许多研究表明，空气电离在减少空气中的生物气溶胶方面是有效的，但对空气电离去除和灭活空气中病原体所涉及的多种物理和生物过程缺乏了解。本研究的重点是促进对空气电离的理解，以防止动物手术中的空气传播疾病。我的研究计划的长期目标是：(1)提高对动物生产操作中空气污染物（生物气溶胶和恶臭气体）的认识，包括它们的来源、物理、化学和生物特性以及排放；(2)制定控制动物生产经营过程中空气污染物排放的有效方法，以改善动物健康，减少动物疾病的空气传播。未来五年的具体目标是：(1)开发一个综合模型，用于模拟空气电离去除和灭活空气中病原体所涉及的物理和生物过程；(2)在猪舍进行实验验证模型，并对模型进行实际应用评估。一种常见的猪疾病病毒PRRSV（猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒）将被用作模型开发和验证的研究药物。然而，即将制定的建模框架将适用于影响动物和人类的其他空气传播疾病，例如流感。我提出的方法将包括三个主要部分：(1)开发一个建模框架，通过考虑气流和电场的影响来预测生物气溶胶和离子如何在空气中移动和相互作用；(2)开展室内实验，研究空气离子对病毒感染性的影响及其机制；(3)评价空气电离在猪舍的实际适用性。该研究的新颖之处在于将空气电离的工程/物理与离子对病原体的生物效应相结合。这项研究将有助于更好地了解空气电离的工作原理，并最终为设计、操作和评估空气电离系统提供理论基础，以改善动物生产操作中的空气质量和更有效地控制疾病。

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.