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HERO ID
7860400
Reference Type
Journal Article
Subtype
Review
Title
Airborne Virus Transmission Via Respiratory Droplets: Effects of Droplet Evaporation and Sedimentation
Author(s)
Rezaei, M; Netz, RR
Year
2021
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science
ISSN:
1359-0294
Volume
55
Page Numbers
101471
Language
English
PMID
34093064
DOI
10.1016/j.cocis.2021.101471
Web of Science Id
WOS:000701241100013
Abstract
Airborne transmission is considered as an important route for the spread of infectious diseases, such as SARS-CoV-2, and is primarily determined by the droplet sedimentation time, i.e., the time droplets spend in air before reaching the ground. Evaporation increases the sedimentation time by reducing the droplet mass. In fact, small droplets can, depending on their solute content, almost completely evaporate during their descent to the ground and remain airborne as so-called droplet nuclei for a long time. Considering that viruses possibly remain infectious in aerosols for hours, droplet nuclei formation can substantially increase the infectious viral air load. Accordingly, the physical-chemical factors that control droplet evaporation and sedimentation times and play important roles in determining the infection risk from airborne respiratory droplets are reviewed in this article.
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