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COVID-19: This new tool can help decontaminate viruses in aerosols
It's more than a year now since the outbreak of coronavirus was first reported. The deadly virus has gripped the world completely. After months of research, the vaccines are now being administered among the common people. But, there is one more way that may prove to be effective in managing the spread of the virus. What is it? A tool. Yes, scientists have engineered a new tool that exposes aerosolized Covid-19 virus particles to microwaves in a controlled manner, an advance that may lead to the development of novel methods to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have found that the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 spreads via aerosols that can be generated and spread through breathing, coughing, sneezing, or talking by infected individuals.
While previous studies have explored the use of electromagnetic energy to deactivate viruses in bulk fluids, the researchers, including those from the Air Force Research Laboratory in the US, said less work has been done to understand the role of microwaves in inactivating viral pathogens in aerosols.
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In the research which was published in the journal Physics of Fluids, the scientists developed experimental tools capable of presenting electromagnetic waves to an aerosol mixture containing viruses.
According to the authors of the study, the apparatus offers the ability to vary the power, energy, and frequency of electromagnetic exposure.
However, with further research, the scientists hope to better characterize the threshold levels of microwave energy needed to inactivate aerosolized viral particles and reduce their ability to spread infection.
This Can Help In Identifying Various Other Viruses Inactivation Mechanisms
The scientists believe that the new experimental design can provide the means to identify a wide variety of Covid-19 virus inactivation mechanisms.
According to them, the systems are designed to prevent the release of microwaves into the work environment since at high levels the radiation could potentially interfere with diagnostic equipment and other electronics.
They plan to expose Covid-19 surrogate -- bovine coronavirus -- to microwaves at frequencies ranging from 2.8 gigahertz to 7.5 gigahertz (GHz).
In comparison, commercial microwave ovens operate at around 2.45 GHz.
Explaining, the need for the surrogate virus, Brad Hoff, a co-author of the study from the Air Force Research Laboratory, said the bovine coronavirus is "similar in size and configuration to human Covid-19, but is safe to humans."
He further added, "If shown to be effective, the use of microwaves may enable the potential for rapid decontamination not currently addressed by ultraviolet light or chemical cleaning for highly cluttered areas, while potentially operating at levels safely compatible with human occupancy".
With 13,052 new coronavirus cases, India's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 1,07,46,183, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 1,04,23,125, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.
According to the reports, the national recovery rate has climbed to 96.99 per cent. A total of 1,54,274 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 51,042 from Maharashtra followed by 12,350 from Tamil Nadu, 12,213 from Karnataka, 10,849 from Delhi, 10,164 from West Bengal, 8,650 from Uttar Pradesh and, 7,153 from Andhra Pradesh.
"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
(With inputs from Agencies)