Airborne transmission of pathogens is a global public health concern. The COVID-19 global pandemic highlights the urgent need to control the transmission of virus-containing bioaerosols generated via coughing, sneezing, and speaking. In spite of this need, indoor air transport of bioaerosols is not well understood, particularly the effect of aerosol size on pathogen transmission and infectivity. The goal of this project is to advance our understanding of bioaerosol transport, viability, and infectivity to minimize and mitigate the transmission and spread of airborne pathogens in indoor environments. To achieve this goal, researchers will: i) investigate microorganism decay in bioaerosols in controlled environmental chambers using two viruses and two bacteria as model pathogens; ii) evaluate the evolution and transport of bioaerosols in indoor air under different ventilation configurations; and iii) develop and validate a coupled transport and risk infection model to minimize the dispersion and transmission of bacterial/viral bioaerosols via indoor ventilation systems. The successful completion of this project will benefit society through the development of new knowledge to understand and mitigate the transmission of bioaerosol pathogens in indoor environments. Further benefits to society will be achieved through student education, training, and public outreach. STEM training will be enhanced through the integration of research findings into course modules, the participation of researchers in K-12 summer science camps, and a partnership with the Rolla, MO Public Library to disseminate the project findings to the public.
Current Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization guidelines do not consider the possible transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via the inhalation of virus-containing bioaerosols smaller than 5 microns. This is contrasted with past research with other pathogens demonstrating that the airborne transmission of small pathogen-laden bioaerosols can cause acute respiratory diseases. Thus, there is an urgent and critical need to improve our understanding of bacterial and viral bioaerosols in indoor environments. The goal of this research is to address this need and advance our fundamental understanding of the transport, dispersion, and infectivity of indoor bioaerosols. To achieve this goal, researchers will carry out an integrated experimental and computational research program using two model virus pathogens (MS2 and Phi6) and two model bacteria pathogens (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus). Research in Task 1 will investigate the decay of bacteria and viruses in bioaerosols as a function of time, bioaerosol size, and environmental conditions (humidity and temperature) inside a controlled environmental chamber. Research in Task II will characterize the transport and dispersion of the bacteria/virus-laden bioaerosols in a large environmental chamber to simulate indoor air under different ventilation configurations. Research in Task III will develop and validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of indoor bioaerosol transport coupled with a risk infection model. Successful completion of this project will lead to new knowledge and tools that could be utilized to design and implement more effective ventilation strategies and systems to mitigate the transmission and infectivity of bioaerosol pathogens in indoor environments.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
