A new laser device for ultra-rapid and sustainable aerosol sterilization
The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of aerosol-based transmission of human pathogens; this therefore calls for novel medical devices which are able to sterilize contaminated aerosols. Here we describe a new laser device able to sterilize droplets containing either viruses or...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Environment International |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001994 |
| _version_ | 1811231687437189120 |
|---|---|
| author | Roman Vuerich Valentina Martinelli Simone Vodret Iris Bertani Tea Carletti Lorena Zentilin Vittorio Venturi Alessandro Marcello Serena Zacchigna |
| author_facet | Roman Vuerich Valentina Martinelli Simone Vodret Iris Bertani Tea Carletti Lorena Zentilin Vittorio Venturi Alessandro Marcello Serena Zacchigna |
| author_sort | Roman Vuerich |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of aerosol-based transmission of human pathogens; this therefore calls for novel medical devices which are able to sterilize contaminated aerosols. Here we describe a new laser device able to sterilize droplets containing either viruses or bacteria. Using engineered viral particles, we determined the 10,600 nm wavelength as the most efficient and exploitable laser source to be manufactured in a commercial device. Given the lack of existing working models to reproduce a human aerosol containing living microbial particles, we developed a new system mimicking human droplet formation and preserving bacterial and viral viability. This evidenced the efficacy of 10,600 nm laser light to kill two aerosol transmitted human pathogens, Legionella pneumophila and SARS-CoV-2. The minimal exposure time of <15 ms was required for the inactivation of over 99% pathogens in the aerosol; this is a key element in the design of a device that is safe and can be used in preventing inter-individual transmission. This represents a major advantage over existing devices, which mainly aim at either purifying incoming air by filters or sterilizing solid surfaces, which are not the major transmission routes for airborne communicable diseases. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:49:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ca97269221341e389314515063d9a73 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0160-4120 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:49:02Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environment International |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ca97269221341e389314515063d9a732022-12-22T03:36:18ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202022-06-01164107272A new laser device for ultra-rapid and sustainable aerosol sterilizationRoman Vuerich0Valentina Martinelli1Simone Vodret2Iris Bertani3Tea Carletti4Lorena Zentilin5Vittorio Venturi6Alessandro Marcello7Serena Zacchigna8Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149 Trieste, Italy; Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, ItalyEltech K-Laser s.r.l., 31100 Treviso, ItalyCardiovascular Biology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149 Trieste, ItalyLaboratory: Bacteriology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149 Trieste, ItalyMolecular Virology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149 Trieste, ItalyMolecular Medicine Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149 Trieste, ItalyLaboratory: Bacteriology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149 Trieste, ItalyMolecular Virology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149 Trieste, ItalyCardiovascular Biology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149 Trieste, Italy; Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; Corresponding author at: Cardiovascular Biology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Padriciano, 99, 34149 Trieste, Italy.The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of aerosol-based transmission of human pathogens; this therefore calls for novel medical devices which are able to sterilize contaminated aerosols. Here we describe a new laser device able to sterilize droplets containing either viruses or bacteria. Using engineered viral particles, we determined the 10,600 nm wavelength as the most efficient and exploitable laser source to be manufactured in a commercial device. Given the lack of existing working models to reproduce a human aerosol containing living microbial particles, we developed a new system mimicking human droplet formation and preserving bacterial and viral viability. This evidenced the efficacy of 10,600 nm laser light to kill two aerosol transmitted human pathogens, Legionella pneumophila and SARS-CoV-2. The minimal exposure time of <15 ms was required for the inactivation of over 99% pathogens in the aerosol; this is a key element in the design of a device that is safe and can be used in preventing inter-individual transmission. This represents a major advantage over existing devices, which mainly aim at either purifying incoming air by filters or sterilizing solid surfaces, which are not the major transmission routes for airborne communicable diseases.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001994Laser lightAerosolSARS-CoV-2Legionella pneumophilaAir sterilization |
| spellingShingle | Roman Vuerich Valentina Martinelli Simone Vodret Iris Bertani Tea Carletti Lorena Zentilin Vittorio Venturi Alessandro Marcello Serena Zacchigna A new laser device for ultra-rapid and sustainable aerosol sterilization Environment International Laser light Aerosol SARS-CoV-2 Legionella pneumophila Air sterilization |
| title | A new laser device for ultra-rapid and sustainable aerosol sterilization |
| title_full | A new laser device for ultra-rapid and sustainable aerosol sterilization |
| title_fullStr | A new laser device for ultra-rapid and sustainable aerosol sterilization |
| title_full_unstemmed | A new laser device for ultra-rapid and sustainable aerosol sterilization |
| title_short | A new laser device for ultra-rapid and sustainable aerosol sterilization |
| title_sort | new laser device for ultra rapid and sustainable aerosol sterilization |
| topic | Laser light Aerosol SARS-CoV-2 Legionella pneumophila Air sterilization |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001994 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT romanvuerich anewlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT valentinamartinelli anewlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT simonevodret anewlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT irisbertani anewlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT teacarletti anewlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT lorenazentilin anewlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT vittorioventuri anewlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT alessandromarcello anewlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT serenazacchigna anewlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT romanvuerich newlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT valentinamartinelli newlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT simonevodret newlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT irisbertani newlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT teacarletti newlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT lorenazentilin newlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT vittorioventuri newlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT alessandromarcello newlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization AT serenazacchigna newlaserdeviceforultrarapidandsustainableaerosolsterilization |