Researchers present new project for detection of SARS-COV-2 virus in indoor air

Researchers at the Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of Valencia Region (FISABIO) and the Universitat de València (UV) have presented the AIRCOV project for the detection of the SARS-COV-2 virus in indoor air.

The project, which is expected to begin in January, aims to control air quality in indoor spaces, particularly in the university lecture halls and primary care centers.

The team of researchers led by Vicent Yusà, Salvador Garrigues, and Xavier López will analyze the levels of COVID-19 in these spaces, will evaluate several methods for collecting the virus, and will study possible links between the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and certain parameters of indoor air quality.
 

This pilot project aims to study the presence of coronavirus in the indoor air of those centers in order to improve the understanding of aerosol transmission and establish health management solutions for both university education and the safety in primary care centers, to protect the health of teaching staff, students, patients, and health staff, as well as to reduce the risk of transmission."

Vicent Yusà, Head of the Food Safety Section, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of Valencia Region (FISABIO)

According to Salvador Garrigues, professor of Analytical Chemistry at UV, "Several methods for collecting the virus in suspension particles and in surfaces will be evaluated. Moreover, we will establish indirect parameters to predict exposure to the virus."

The research team will use four types of samplers capable of collecting all the particulate matter (aerosols). Several parameters will be measured in order to assess the air quality in each room, including CO₂, CO, suspended matter, relative humidity and volatile organic compounds (VOC).

This research work will be carried out in the university lecture halls of the Faculty of Chemistry (Burjassot campus site), where they will take samples twice per day: before the first group of students goes into the classroom; and after classes end for the day.

At the primary care centers, they will establish three different areas to take samples: areas with a presence of patients, areas restricted to health staff; and areas for the general public. The samples will be taken at the beginning of the day (environment without virus) and at the end of the day.

"We are going to use our experience in detecting COVID-19 in human samples to detect it in environmental samples, such as aerosols," explains Xavier López, from the Virology Laboratory at Fisabio.

The results of the study will make it possible to formulate management proposals for reducing the possibility of coronavirus existing in the indoor air of this kind of center. In addition, the results can also be extrapolated to other public indoor spaces.