After considering this brief explanation for why using anionic surfactants will work to remove COVID-19 from the air in enclosed spaces, I hope engineers will consider running the simple test outlined below to and show the efficacy as a secondary barrier to the transmission for COVID-19 sized particles.
The basic chemistry of across-the-board application for disinfection has been widely exercised on a daily basis by households across the world. This application aims to add one more possibility to the list, by dealing with potential airborne risks due to Covid-19 pathogen aerosolization within our common environments.
Putting a usable tool into people's hands to cut the curve on virus transmission can do nothing but good by adding a layer of protection they control.
Surfactants have been used in industry for over 40 years to remove harmful particles 5 microns and smaller from the air in contaminated environments. This is used extensively in asbestos abatement in addition to the required use of fitted respirators.
Currently, the classification of sufficient protection against COVID-19 infections include engineered complete barriers such as the Aerosol box during the process of endotracheal intubation, or barriers with effective filtration technology such as the N-95 mask.
The use of surfactants is not an expensive logistical nightmare for the general populace, because much of a population already has the necessary equipment in their possession. The efficacy has already been proven by research, and immediate use for all populations is possible.
The following summarizes the problem this proposed solution aims to help address as it is occurring in hospitals daily. The Scientist notes-
According to a report from the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine submitted to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, a recent not-yet-peer-reviewed study by Santarpa et al. titled "Transmission Potential of SARS-Cov-2 in Viral Shedding Observed at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre" posits "widespread evidence of viral RNA in isolation rooms where patients with SARS-CoV-2 were receiving care" after studying air and surface samples, while also noting air collectors positioned more than 6 feet away were found to be contaminated with the RNA.
The virus is still measurably in the air in enclosed, controlled environments as long as infected people are present.
One drawback to surfactants is because the virus particles are 95% smaller than asbestos particles, general surfactants are limited use. Without an additional feature, even in a heavy fine mist, the minute size of COVID-19 particles will guarantee the air is still contaminated. This is because the space between droplets is enough for the virus particles to evade being enveloped by the mist.
Utilizing the magnetic properties of the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV ) known positive sense (+ magnetic charge), the right surfactant will attract the virus particles, wet them, and should remove them from the air by taking away the aerodynamic properties it has. Surfactants add weight to airborne particles and cause them to drop.
The ability to study COVID-19 in detail through what is known as Magnetic Resonance Testing takes advantage of the magnetic properties of the virus to give us a picture of it. An MRI is a familiar use of this of this technology.
COVID-19 virus particles have a positive charge (+) according to studies reflected in fields such as radiology, hence the proper surfactant will need to be anionic (-) or negatively charged to be useful..
The right surfactant type (- charged) mixed with water and atomized will attract COVID-19 virus particles (+charged) like a magnet in the air and weigh them down to the floor, thus neutralizing them in home, office, elevators, and other confined spaces. The air could be cleared with a perfume sized bottle in smaller public spaces like an elevator before entering.
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