A versatile filter test system to assess removal efficiency for viruses in aerosols

dc.contributor.authorRüggeberg, Tobias
dc.contributor.authorMilosevic, Ana
dc.contributor.authorSpecht, Patrick
dc.contributor.authorMayer, Andreas
dc.contributor.authorFrey, Joachim
dc.contributor.authorPetri-Fink, Alke
dc.contributor.authorBurtscher, Heinz
dc.contributor.authorRothen-Rutishauser, Barbara
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-22T12:09:28Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractMitigation measures to reduce indoor transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogenic microorganisms are urgently needed to combat the current pandemic and to prevent future airborne epidemics or pandemics. Very efficient exhaust filters for nanoparticles down to sizes of only a few nanometers have been available for many years; they are used, for example, in diesel and, more recently, gasoline vehicles to reduce emissions. The size of soot particles emitted by combustion engines, i.e., primary particles and aggregates, includes those of viruses. Therefore, such particle filters should also efficiently remove viruses. This study aimed to design a filter test system with a controlled airflow allowing to aerosolize particles at the aerosol inlet and collect samples before and after the particle filter. As an example, results obtained for the NanoCleaner®, a filter designed to clean cabin air in vehicles, are presented. Validation with soot particles produced with a CAST soot generator revealed a filter efficiency higher than 99.5%. To assess the relevance of the test filter system to measure efficiency for viral particles removal, MS2 bacteriophages, also called Escherichia virus MS2, were used as virus surrogate and aerosolized into the filter test system with the commercially available Emser nebulizer. Filter efficiencies of more than 99% for MS2 bacteriophages were achieved using the NanoCleaner® in the filter test system. Experiments with ceramic wall-flow filters showed similar results. To enlighten the versatility of the filter test system, a typical aircraft cabin air filter was also characterized. The measurements confirmed the high filter efficiency, and in addition, we show a decrease of bacteriophage’s survival on the filter material over 48 h post-exposure. In conclusion, we have established a versatile system that is modular to test any filter system for the efficiency of eliminating MS2 bacteriophages as virus surrogates from air.
dc.identifier.doi10.4209/aaqr.210224
dc.identifier.issn1680-8584
dc.identifier.issn2071-1409
dc.identifier.urihttps://irf.fhnw.ch/handle/11654/51489
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.26041/fhnw-12709
dc.issue12
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherTaiwan Association for Aerosol Research
dc.relation.ispartofAerosol and Air Quality Research
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject.ddc620 - Ingenieurwissenschaften und Maschinenbau
dc.subject.ddc570 - Biowissenschaften, Biologie
dc.titleA versatile filter test system to assess removal efficiency for viruses in aerosols
dc.type01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
dc.volume21
dspace.entity.typePublication
fhnw.InventedHereYes
fhnw.ReviewTypeAnonymous ex ante peer review of an abstract
fhnw.affiliation.hochschuleHochschule für Technik und Umwelt FHNWde_CH
fhnw.affiliation.institutlnstitut für Sensorik und Elektronikde_CH
fhnw.openAccessCategoryGold
fhnw.pagination210224
fhnw.publicationStatePublished
relation.isAuthorOfPublication141149a0-fb15-4417-8875-c8ea06d9d314
relation.isAuthorOfPublication64b870a7-875e-415e-b1af-126a0187ac7b
relation.isAuthorOfPublication7bcf855e-5eb6-4a5f-ba90-e93bec5fd0a6
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relation.isAuthorOfPublication7bcf855e-5eb6-4a5f-ba90-e93bec5fd0a6
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery141149a0-fb15-4417-8875-c8ea06d9d314
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