Results for Aerosol Treatment Technology Evaluation with Cold Plasma Bipolar Ionization Device
Citation:
Ratliff, K. Results for Aerosol Treatment Technology Evaluation with Cold Plasma Bipolar Ionization Device. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/S-22/003, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
This summary provides an update on EPA’s aerosol treatment research to evaluate technologies that are reported to reduce airborne virus concentrations. Results on the efficacy testing of a bipolar ionization device against MS2 conducted in a large-scale aerosol test chamber with a recirculating HVAC system are summarized. These interim data are being made available to inform stakeholders, including OCSPP, OAR, transit agencies, and the general public, about the potential efficacy of using bipolar ionization devices as part of a strategy to reduce airborne disease transmission.
Description:
The COVID-19 pandemic has raised awareness about the airborne transmission of diseases and increased interest in different types of aerosol treatment technologies that claim to reduce or eliminate airborne pathogens. Because many of these technologies are devices, EPA does not review or verify data in a registration process. Critical research is needed to better understand what potential benefits these aerosol treatment technologies may provide as part of a holistic strategy to reduce airborne transmission of diseases. In this research, we evaluate the efficacy of a cold plasma bipolar ionization device against aerosolized MS2 (a bacteriophage) in a large test chamber with a mock HVAC system. Comparing results from the test and control experiments show that the average reduction in log10 recoveries from air samples throughout the PuriFi tests relative to control conditions ranged from -44 to 86%. No surface reduction was observed on inoculated stainless-steel carriers.