SARS-CoV-2 in Atmospheric Particulate Matter: An Experimental Survey in the Province of Venice in Northern Italy

Abstract

Analysis of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) has been proposed for the environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study was to increase the current knowledge about the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in atmospheric PM, introduce a dedicated sampling method, and perform a simultaneous assessment of human seasonal coronavirus 229E. Thirty-two PM samples were collected on quartz fiber filters and six on Teflon using a low- and high-volumetric rate sampler, respectively, adopting a novel procedure for optimized virus detection. Sampling was performed at different sites in the Venice area (Italy) between 21 February and 8 March 2020 (n = 16) and between 27 October and 25 November 2020 (n = 22). A total of 14 samples were positive for Coronavirus 229E, 11 of which were collected in October–November 2020 (11/22; positivity rate 50%) and 3 in February–March 2020 (3/16 samples, 19%). A total of 24 samples (63%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Most of the positive filters were collected in October–November 2020 (19/22; positivity rate, 86%), whereas the remaining five were collected in February–March 2020 at two distinct sites (5/16, 31%). These findings suggest that outdoor PM analysis could be a promising tool for environmental surveillance. The results report a low concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in outdoor air, supporting a scarce contribution to the spread of infection.

Advancements in Airborne Viral Nucleic Acid Detection with Wearable Devices

“…However, the relationship between levels of airborne viral RNA exposure and transmission risk remains unclear since samples positive for viral RNA are not always culturable, likely due to the sample collection method used. [38,50,51] The challenging part of designing wearable sensors for airborne viral RNA detection is that the design requirements can be conflicting. For example, the requirement to keep the device small prohibits the use of large pumps for air sampling.…”

“…This lowers the amount of air that can be sampled which can increase collection time. [38,51] To our knowledge, only one study has constructed a wearable sensor for airborne viral RNA monitoring that reasonably satisfies these design requirements. [21] For airborne monitoring of viruses more generally, two recent studies also built sensors satisfying the aforementioned design requirements, but their sensors targeted viral spike proteins.…”

Peculiar weather patterns effects on air pollution and COVID-19 spread in Tokyo metropolis

“…Besides indoor airborne transmission of viruses, outdoor airborne transmission could play an important role in determining the differences observed in the spread rate. SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is affecting the world since the end of 2019 was detected not only in indoor healthcare settings ( Ahlawat et al, 2020 ; Baboli et al, 2021 ; Barbieri et al, 2021 ), but also among other viruses in the outdoor airborne PM2.5 samples collected in urban areas like as Bern, Lugano, and Zurich in Switzerland ( Tao et al, 2022 ) and virus-laden aerosol PM10 samples in Veneto and Apulia regions ( Chirizzi et al, 2021 ) or Venice ( Pivato et al, 2022 ) of Italy.…”

On coming back, the scaring COVID‐19 concern. Addressing indoor microclimates with innovative and straightforward solutions to prevent SARS‐CoV2 spreading

“…These particles are larger than PM 2.5 , but they can still be inhaled into the respiratory system and can include road dust, airborne pollutants from construction activities, agricultural operations, and some industrial processes. Particulate matter in polluted air can spread SARS-CoV2, as these particles are considered as SARS-CoV2 carriers, 3,4 and their removal from indoor spaces is particularly challenging to reduce SARS-CoV2 spreading in human communities.…”

“…and is still circulating within the general population, 6 yet global health policy is only barely addressing this great concern, as well as poorly intervening in such indoor microclimates where people stay for many hours, because of job or study. 7 As SARS-CoV2 can be spread via particulate matter even in indoor environments, 3,4,8 the endowment of innovative and straightforward devices to greatly reduce airborne pollutants bearing SARS-CoV2 particles in indoor living spaces, is of paramount interest. 8 Photocatalysis is a physical mechanism that, using a semiconductor such as titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), commonly known as titania, transfers a photon-excited electron via titanium to water, forming oxygen reactive species (ROS), which are able to kill microbes (bacteria and viruses) and remove indoor particulate matter, such as PM 2.5 and PM 10.…”