scholarly journals Cold traps as reliable devices for quantitative determination of SARS-CoV-2 load in aerosols

2021 ◽  
Vol 193 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven G. Gehrke ◽  
Claudia Förderer ◽  
Ralf Weiskirchen ◽  
Wolfgang Stremmel

AbstractSpread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a demanding challenge. This is of particular importance in schools and public areas of unavoidable access. New viral mutations may increase infectivity and require even better methods to identify areas of potential hazards. High-throughput SARS-CoV-2 testing and legal restrictions are not effective in order to get the current outbreak under control. The occurrence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants with a higher transmissibility requires efficient strategies for early detection and surveillance. Until today, testing focuses on nasal or pharyngeal mucosa swabs, neglecting the origin of aerosolic transmission, thus failing to detect the spread by carriers of the virus. Therefore, in this study, SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels were determined by quantitative real time PCR in aerosols collected by non-powered cold traps. SARS-CoV-2 spreading kinetics were recorded in indoor hotspots within a high-endemic area. These hotspots included a SARS-CoV-2 isolation unit, an outpatient endoscopy facility, a concert hall, and a shopping mall. For determination of viral presence aerosols were collected by cold traps positioned at different locations in the area of interest over a period of 4–6 h. Indoor SARS-CoV-2 hotspots were found in non-ventilated areas and in zones that are predisposed to a buoyancy (chimney) effect. SARS-CoV-2 RNA in those aerosols reached concentrations of 105 copies/mL, while extensive outdoor air ventilation reliably eliminated SARS-CoV-2 aerosol contamination. The method presented herein is effective for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 indoor hotspots and may help to characterize the spreading kinetics of SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, it can be used for the surveillance of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Due to low costs and easy handling, the procedure might enable efficient algorithms for COVID-19 screening and prevention.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven G. Gehrke ◽  
Claudia Förderer ◽  
Wolfgang Stremmel

AbstractBackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic is a worldwide challenge requiring efficient containment strategies. High-throughput SARS-CoV-2 testing and legal restrictions are not effective in order to get the current outbreak under control. Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants with a higher transmissibility require efficient strategies for early detection and surveillance.MethodsSARS-CoV-2 RNA levels were determined by quantitative RT-PCR in aerosols collected by non-powered cold traps. SARS-CoV-2 spreading kinetics and indoor hotspots could be identified in isolation units and at public places within a high-endemic area. These included an outpatient endoscopy facility, a concert hall, and a shopping mall.ResultsIndoor COVID-19 hotspots were found in non-ventilated areas and in zones that are predisposed to a buoyancy (chimney) effect. SARS-CoV-2 RNA in those aerosols reached concentrations of 105 copies/mL. Extensive outdoor air ventilation reliably eliminates SARS-CoV-2 aerosol contamination.ConclusionsThe method presented herein could predict SARS-CoV-2 indoor hotspots and may help to characterize SARS-CoV-2 spreading kinetics. Moreover, it can be used for the surveillance of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Due to low costs and easy handling, the procedure might enable efficient algorithms for COVID-19 prevention and screening.


2014 ◽  
pp. 228-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maciej Wojtczak ◽  
Aneta Antczak-Chrobot ◽  
Edyta Chmal-Fudali ◽  
Agnieszka Papiewska

The aim of the study is to evaluate the kinetics of the synthesis of dextran and other bacterial metabolites as markers of microbiological contamination of sugar beet.


2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 1139-1144
Author(s):  
Iosif Lingvay ◽  
Adriana Mariana Bors ◽  
Livia Carmen Ungureanu ◽  
Valerica Stanoi ◽  
Traian Rus

For the purpose of using three different types of painting materials for the inner protection of the transformer vats, their behavior was studied under actual conditions of operation in the transformer (thermal stress in electro-insulating fluid based on the natural ester in contact with copper for electro-technical use and electro-insulating paper). By comparing determination of the content in furans products (HPLC technique) and gases formed (by gas-chromatography) in the electro-insulating fluid (natural ester with high oleic content) thermally aged at 130 �C to 1000 hours in closed glass vessels, it have been found that the presence the investigated painting materials lead to a change in the mechanism and kinetics of the thermo-oxidation processes. These changes are supported by oxygen dissolved in oil, what leads to decrease both to gases formation CO2, CO, H2, CH4, C2H4 and C2H6) and furans products (5-HMF, 2-FOL, 2 -FAL and 2-ACF). The painting materials investigated during the heat treatment applied did not suffer any remarkable structural changes affecting their functionality in the electro-insulating fluid based on vegetable esters.


1985 ◽  
Vol 50 (8) ◽  
pp. 1642-1647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Štefan Baláž ◽  
Anton Kuchár ◽  
Ernest Šturdík ◽  
Michal Rosenberg ◽  
Ladislav Štibrányi ◽  
...  

The distribution kinetics of 35 2-furylethylene derivatives in two-phase system 1-octanol-water was investigated. The transport rate parameters in direction water-1-octanol (l1) and backwards (l2) are partition coefficient P = l1/l2 dependent according to equations l1 = logP - log(βP + 1) + const., l2 = -log(βP + 1) + const., const. = -5.600, β = 0.261. Importance of this finding for assesment of distribution of compounds under investigation in biosystems and also the suitability of the presented method for determination of partition coefficients are discussed.


1999 ◽  
Vol 64 (11) ◽  
pp. 1770-1779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herbert Mayr ◽  
Karl-Heinz Müller

The kinetics of the electrophilic additions of four diarylcarbenium ions (4a-4d) to tricarbonyl(η4-cyclohepta-1,3,5-triene)iron (1) have been studied photometrically. The second-order rate constants match the linear Gibbs energy relationship log k20 °C = s(E + N) and yield the nucleophilicity parameter N(1) = 3.69. It is concluded that electrophiles with E ≥ -9 will react with complex 1 at ambient temperature.


Author(s):  
Yasujiro Murata ◽  
Shih-Ching Chuang ◽  
Fumiyuki Tanabe ◽  
Michihisa Murata ◽  
Koichi Komatsu

We present our study on the recognition of hydrogen isotopes by an open-cage fullerene through determination of binding affinity of isotopes H 2 /HD/D 2 with the open-cage fullerene and comparison of their relative molecular sizes through kinetic-isotope-release experiments. We took advantage of isotope H 2 /D 2 exchange that generated an equilibrium mixture of H 2 /HD/D 2 in a stainless steel autoclave to conduct high-pressure hydrogen insertion into an open-cage fullerene. The equilibrium constants of three isotopes with the open-cage fullerene were determined at various pressures and temperatures. Our results show a higher equilibrium constant for HD into open-cage fullerene than the other two isotopomers, which is consistent with its dipolar nature. D 2 molecule generally binds stronger than H 2 because of its heavier mass; however, the affinity for H 2 becomes larger than D 2 at lower temperature, when size effect becomes dominant. We further investigated the kinetics of H 2 /HD/D 2 release from open-cage fullerene, proving their relative escaping rates. D 2 was found to be the smallest and H 2 the largest molecule. This notion has not only supported the observed inversion of relative binding affinities between H 2 and D 2 , but also demonstrated that comparison of size difference of single molecules through non-convalent kinetic-isotope effect was applicable.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2389
Author(s):  
Jung-Shun Chen

The indoor air of a hospital is always full of bacteria and viruses due to patients with different diseases. These bacteria and viruses could be highly infectious to the people in the hospital irrespective of their health conditions, and could be hazardous to the patients, their care takers, and hospital staff. Thus, keeping a good hospital air quality is very essential to the operation of the hospital. This study aims at enhancing ventilation of the interior lighting of hospitals with germicidal capabilities. Air disinfection is accomplished by adding the specially designed disinfecting filters and fans to existing embedded lamps in the hospitals. The embedded lamp has a square shape of 601 mm in width and 112 mm in thickness. In the design stage, the air flow inside the embedded lamp with the added filters and fans was investigated by numerical simulation using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool. Three designs, referred to as Types 1, 2, and 3, were evaluated using steady-state CFD flow simulations. The ventilation rate of the Type 1 design was about 251.9 CMH, and 348.3 CMH for the Type 2 design by increasing the fan outlet area. However, even though the ventilation was increased by 34%, the flow field of the Type 2 design was not uniform, resulting in flows being circulated around the side locations. Thus, the Type 3 design further treats this aspect by streamlining the outlet geometry and adding flow guiding vanes to reduce flow resistance and flow unsteadiness; the corresponding air ventilation rate reached 376.3 CMH. Hence, the Type 3 design was fabricated and tested. The test results confirm that the design not only has a higher ventilation rate but also operates under a smaller pressure drop, thus accomplishing the goal of providing good air quality in the hospital environment efficiently. Moreover, the associated flow noise is reduced by about 8 dBA. Hence, both an increase in the air ventilation rate and a reduction of noise are achieved simultaneously by the present method.


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