Posted by: admin

In late 2019, Wuhan City in China was afflicted by a new strain of the pneumonia virus, SARS-CoV-2, which is believed to be responsible for more than 216,299,301 cases in the world of the disease COVID-19. However, there are emerging studies now suggesting that air pollution may have been playing a role in bringing about some of these cases.

In a cluster of patients, pneumonia-like symptoms were reported in late December 2019, Wuhan, China. The city became the epicenter of the pneumonia epidemic due to  SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 disease. The World Health Organisation mandated sanitization, masks, and 6 feet distance as public health guidelines considering the respiratory transmission of coronavirus. However, emerging epidemiological and experimental data are now suggesting the involvement of air pollution in COVID-19 related outcomes.

Background And Reason Behind The Research 

Severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is preliminarily transmitted via respiratory droplets of various sizes. Large respiratory droplets (>5 µm) transmission occurs when a person is in close contact with someone who has respiratory syndrome such as coughing and sneezing.  

Whereas, Finer virus-laden respiratory droplets (<5µm) can remain in the air for an extended period and can be carried over a great distance over 6 feet. 

However, the same nature of suspension has been observed in the case of particulate matter (PM) (<5µm). Due to which the correlation between viruses and PMs has been previously found, such as in the case of tuberculosis, measles, and chickenpox. These have also been associated with asthma, COPD, bronchitis, and cardiovascular diseases. Herein many studies have given multiple reasons to acknowledge the involvement of indoor air particles as the virus transport agent.

The PMs a Potential Carrier Of SARS-CoV-2: The Findings Of The Studies

Various epidemiological studies provide a scientific basis for further investigation of the potential role of PMs in SARS-CoV-2 transmission and their role in controlling the same. These studies have so far investigated impacts of particulate matter of size 10-microns (PM10) like dust, mold, pollen etc. and fine particles of size 2.5-microns (PM2.5).

Here are some findings determining the reasons for the relationship between ambient air pollution and viral respiratory infections.

• The virus can be transported via solid aerosols: PM 2.5 is a fine solid particle with a diameter of less than 2.5 µm that stays suspended in the ambient air for a longer duration. 
• A positive correlation between PM 2.5 µm and other respiratory viruses such as the influenza virus, tuberculosis, measles, and chickenpox: has been reported, emphasizing the possibility of particulate matter as a transport carrier of SARS-CoV-2.
• PM2.5 is especially dangerous to humans as it can be easily inhaled and penetrate deep into the lungs. Also, it has a longer lifetime in the air where it can be suspended at an extended period compared to heavier respiratory liquid droplets. Hence, facilitating the aerosol transmission.
• Recent findings based on the air particle measurements have suggested that the SARS-CoV-2 can be carried by PM2.5 in the air when healthcare workers remove their PPE kits. It is likely that the virus on the surface can be potentially lodged on the PM2.5 and transported back into the air. 
• In 2003, a Chinese study on SARS-CoV-1 showed that people living in the most polluted areas had a two-fold increased risk of dying from SARS compared to the people living in the less polluted areas.
• A study involving 120 cities in China showed that a 10 μg/m3 increase in the fine particles leads to a more than a 2% increase in new COVID-19 cases. 
• The data from epidemiological studies also suggest that SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be found in the ambient PM10 in urban regions. 
• Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the main entrance for SARS-CoV-2 to enter the lungs.  The spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 has a higher affinity for ACE2 in the host cell target. Therefore, ACE2 receptors provide an adhesion site for SARS-CoV-2 to invade cells. 
• A study found that 3 months of exposure to PM1, increases the ACE2 expression in the lungs. Thus, PM-upregulated ACE2 could be an indirect transmission model for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Major Takeaway

There are strong potential reasons to acknowledge the involvement of fine particles as the virus transport agent. These Epidemiological studies give a fine base to specific links between air pollution and severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 infection. Therefore, it is prudent to take all the precautionary measures against airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and indoor pollution.

Magneto CleanTech has been committed to making air indoors completely clean and virus-free.  Magneto’s certified clean air technology gives the best of both worlds by inactivating viruses as well as particulate matter suspended in the air, by 99.998% efficiency.

Contact us to learn more at info@magneto.in 

Source:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7345938/

https://err.ersjournals.com/content/30/159/200242

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81935-9