dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Social Links
  • zedreviews.com
  • citi.io
  • aster.cloud
  • liwaiwai.com
  • guzz.co.uk
  • atinatin.com
0 Likes
0 Followers
0 Subscribers
dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
  • Environment
  • People
  • Technology
  • World Events

A Plasma Reactor Zaps Airborne Viruses – And Could Help Slow The Spread Of Infectious Diseases

  • February 7, 2020
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

The big idea: It’s the enduring media image of infectious disease outbreaks, including the current coronavirus outbreak from Wuhan, China: people in public spaces with faces half-hidden by surgical masks.

Filters have long been used to remove particles, including viruses and bacteria, from the air we breathe. Particle filters are key components of building and aircraft ventilation systems. Unfortunately, viruses are much smaller than the smallest particles those filters typically capture reliably.

Researchers Tian Xia and Zijie Lin test a plasma prototype for preventing airborne transmission of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus at a Michigan pig farm. Robert Coelius/Michigan Engineering, Communications & Marketing, CC BY-ND

One possibility for curbing the spread of airborne pathogens is a nonthermal plasma reactor. Plasma is the fourth state of matter, a gas composed of electrically charged ions and electrons rather than neutral atoms and molecules. Nonthermal means the plasma isn’t formed at high temperatures. At the University of Michigan, my colleagues and I developed a nonthermal plasma reactor that leaves airborne pathogens unable to infect host organisms, including people. The plasma oxidizes the viruses, which disables their mechanism for entering cells.

After testing in the lab and at livestock facilities, we’ve shown that the reactor reduces the numbers of infectious viruses in an air stream by more than 99%. We’re developing the technology for use in animal agriculture, but it might also be useful where people are concentrated in enclosed spaces, including commercial aircraft.

Why it matters

Scientists don’t know what makes some viruses and bacteria more resilient in air than others. Tuberculosis and measles have long been known to be highly contagious, while a recent study proved that influenza can also remain infectious in air longer than an hour, something that researchers had previously thought unlikely. Enclosed or crowded spaces reduce opportunities for virus degradation or dilution in air, increasing the chances that an exposure will lead to infection.

Infectious diseases that have airborne transmission routes, including swine flu and avian flu, have affected pork, poultry and egg producers. Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome alone has been estimated to cost more than US$600 million annually in the U.S. In 2015, more than 50 million chickens and turkeys were culled to stop the spread of highly pathogenic avian flu because of its potential to infect humans.

What we don’t know

There are several theories of how nonthermal plasmas kill bacteria, but airborne viruses aren’t “alive” like bacteria and therefore can’t be “killed” in the same way. Also, researchers’ understanding of nonthermal plasma sterilization is mostly based on sterilizing contaminated surfaces using minutes-long plasma exposures, much longer than the subsecond exposures studied in our tests and an earlier similar study.

In our tests, the plasma reduced how many infectious viruses were in the air by more than 99%, but the viruses themselves remained with their DNA largely unchanged. This means that the plasma didn’t destroy the virus but rather altered its ability to infect. We’re working to understand how this happens, which will help us engineer, or “tune,” the reactor.

What’s next

My colleagues and I are currently evaluating how ammonia, ever-present around animals as a byproduct of their waste, affects the plasma generated by the reactor.

We’re also considering how to use nonthermal plasma reactors in aircraft. Long-distance flights can transport infected passengers all over the world, as is immediately clear from maps showing confirmed cases of the new coronavirus. Less clear is the risk to fellow passengers. There are many aspects of virus transmission in aircraft cabins, including passenger movement during flights. Cabin air circulation patterns are important in determining how far and where a virus can be transported once shed by an infected passenger.

Scientists will need to better understand these variables before aircraft makers and operators can use nonthermal plasma reactors to help fight the spread of infectious diseases.

The Conversation

Herek Clack, Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Total
0
Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Share
Related Topics
  • 2019-nCoV
  • Coronavirus
  • Infectious diseases
  • Plasma
  • Viruses
  • Wuhan Coronavirus
dotlah.com

Previous Article
  • Science
  • Society

A Plasma Reactor Zaps Airborne Viruses – And Could Help Slow The Spread Of Infectious Diseases

  • February 7, 2020
View Post
Next Article
  • Lah!

Coronavirus Outbreak: Singapore Introduces Additional Measures With DORSCON Orange

  • February 7, 2020
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Cities
  • Technology

Meralco PowerGen’s PacificLight starts up 100 MW fast-response plant in Singapore

  • dotlah.com
  • June 20, 2025
View Post
  • Technology

Apple services deliver powerful features and intelligent updates to users this autumn

  • Dean Marc
  • June 12, 2025
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Machine Learning
  • Technology

Apple supercharges its tools and technologies for developers to foster creativity, innovation, and design

  • Dean Marc
  • June 11, 2025
View Post
  • Technology
  • Working Life

It’s time to stop debating whether AI is genuinely intelligent and focus on making it work for society

  • dotlah.com
  • June 8, 2025
View Post
  • People
  • Politics

Singapore PM Wong arrives in Malacañang

  • dotlah.com
  • June 4, 2025
college-of-cardinals-2025
View Post
  • Featured
  • Features
  • World Events

The Definitive Who’s Who of the 2025 Papal Conclave

  • Dean Marc
  • May 8, 2025
conclave-poster-black-smoke
View Post
  • Featured
  • Features
  • World Events

The World Is Revalidating Itself

  • Dean Marc
  • May 7, 2025
oracle-ibm
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Technology

IBM and Oracle Expand Partnership to Advance Agentic AI and Hybrid Cloud

  • Dean Marc
  • May 6, 2025


Trending
  • 1
    • Cities
    The Impact Of COVID-19 On Future Mobility Solutions
    • May 16, 2020
  • 2
    • Lah!
    MAS And Financial Industry To Support Individuals And SMEs Affected By The COVID-19 Pandemic
    • April 1, 2020
  • 3
    • Cities
    • Technology
    ABB And Keppel Sign Memorandum For Digital Collaboration
    • March 7, 2022
  • 4
    • People
    7 Ways To Encourage Team-Work Spirit In The Workplace
    • April 19, 2020
  • new-york-evan-thomas-0-iB-5tbmHA-unsplash 5
    • Cities
    The Wealthiest Cities in the World in 2022
    • October 23, 2022
  • cpu-computer-chip-pexels-athena-2582937 6
    • People
    • Technology
    How Technology Is Enhancing the Lives of People with Disabilities
    • December 17, 2021
  • 7
    • Cities
    NTUC FairPrice Launches Priority Shopping Hour Trial For Vulnerable Segments Of The Community Amidst Escalating Covid-19 Situation
    • March 25, 2020
  • 8
    • Technology
    Singles’ Day Deals: Best Backpacks That You Should Get Now
    • November 8, 2019
  • graduates-university-vasily-koloda-8CqDvPuo_kI-unsplash 9
    • People
    • World Events
    4 Trends That Will Shape The Future Of Higher Education
    • February 11, 2022
  • womens-rights-colin-lloyd-tQI4mhH60PE-unsplash 10
    • People
    The Legal Status Of Abortion Worldwide
    • June 25, 2022
  • 11
    • Cities
    • Technology
    New Ideas To Feed A Growing Island
    • March 8, 2018
  • 12
    • Animals
    • Environment
    • People
    Why So Many Epidemics Originate In Asia And Africa – And Why We Can Expect More
    • March 4, 2020
Trending
  • 1
    Meralco PowerGen’s PacificLight starts up 100 MW fast-response plant in Singapore
    • June 20, 2025
  • 2
    A Father’s Day Gift for Every Pop and Papa
    • June 14, 2025
  • 3
    Apple services deliver powerful features and intelligent updates to users this autumn
    • June 12, 2025
  • 4
    Apple supercharges its tools and technologies for developers to foster creativity, innovation, and design
    • June 11, 2025
  • 5
    It’s time to stop debating whether AI is genuinely intelligent and focus on making it work for society
    • June 8, 2025
  • 6
    PBBM asks Singapore to invest more in PH renewable energy projects
    • June 6, 2025
  • 7
    Singapore PM Wong arrives in Malacañang
    • June 4, 2025
  • 8
    Renewable energy, carbon credits are priority areas of cooperation for Singapore, Philippines: Lawrence Wong
    • June 4, 2025
  • 9
    Singapore businesses eye more investments in PH, says PM Wong
    • June 4, 2025
  • 10
    The Summer Adventures : Hiking and Nature Walks Essentials
    • June 3, 2025
Social Links
dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Connecting Dots Across Asia's Tech and Urban Landscape

Input your search keywords and press Enter.