Aerosol Treatment Technology Evaluation
September 4, 2021 Results for Aerosol Treatment Technology Evaluation with Photocatalytic Device
July 19 Results for Aerosol Treatment Technology Evaluation with Grignard Pure
Background
EPA researchers are building on an expansive body of biological wide-area remediation research by applying that knowledge to reduce the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This research will help state, tribal, local, and territorial governments—including public health agencies—and guide homeowners, business owners, and workplace managers to reduce the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
Recent studies have indicated that exposure to aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 can facilitate the spread of COVID-19. As an emphasis on aerosol transmission of COVID-19 and a desire to repopulate indoor environments (e.g., schools, businesses, mass transit) continues to grow, more attention is being focused on technologies that claim to reduce or eliminate virus transmission via aerosols. Although the number and types of aerosol treatment devices on the market continues to grow, few independent assessments exist to evaluate the efficacy of these technologies. Additionally, many of these technologies are considered pesticide devices, which are regulated by EPA under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), but vendor’s efficacy claims are not reviewed or verified by EPA as part of a registration process. Critical research is needed to better understand what benefits these aerosol treatment technologies may provide as part of a holistic strategy to reduce airborne transmission of COVID-19 and other diseases in enclosed spaces.
Challenge
The risk of airborne disease transmission can be reduced in enclosed spaces by increasing ventilation and/or air filtration, physical distancing, and wearing well-fitting masks, all of which work to reduce the concentration of virus in the air we breathe. These strategies can be difficult to implement in certain settings, so there has been a growing interest in technologies that are intended for use in occupied spaces and can potentially reduce the amount of infectious virus in the air. There are many different types of these technologies designed to be operated either in-room or in-duct, including chemical products, ultraviolet (UV) light devices, ionization devices, photocatalytic devices, and mechanical air filtration. Different technologies are intended to operate at different scales – for example, portable air cleaners are designed to filter air in a single room or area, while filters or other technologies installed in HVAC systems operate throughout an entire home or HVAC zone.
The efficacy of many of these emerging technologies has not been well characterized against viruses and other airborne pathogens, as there are often few or no independent (non-commissioned) efficacy assessments that have been conducted. The testing that has been completed is often conducted at a small scale relative to the space in which the technology would be deployed, or other conditions during the testing are not representative of real-world settings (e.g., artificially high air exchange rates). Without standardized testing methods or protocols, comparing efficacy across technologies is difficult. The current limitations on data availability and test design prohibit comprehensive evaluation of how effective different types of technologies will be in reducing concentrations of airborne pathogens in real-world settings.
Research Objective
The overall objective of this research is to evaluate the efficacy of different types of aerosol treatment technologies in reducing airborne virus concentrations using a large-scale test chamber and a standardized testing approach. Conducting this research at a sufficiently large scale with a recirculating HVAC system provides EPA and the public with an independent source of efficacy information that can be more reliably translated to real-world settings. This research also seeks to establish protocols for aerosol treatment product and device efficacy studies, which facilitates cross-study and cross-technology comparisons. The results from this study will inform evaluation of the added benefit that aerosol treatment technologies may have as part of a strategy to reduce airborne disease transmission in various settings, such as in mass transit or schools. In addition, the testing design and results inform the potential development of standardized test protocols in evaluating different types of aerosol treatment technologies.
This study may identify products and devices that demonstrate efficacy in reducing airborne virus concentrations. The results of this research do not supplant data required for product registration, nor for adding additional claims to product labels or pesticide devices. Users of a pesticide are prohibited from using the pesticide product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. EPA does not endorse the use of any products tested in this study.
Disclaimer
EPA is conducting several studies to support the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the results of which may be useful to the Nation. The summary here is intended to provide a simple representation of the results of on-going testing; therefore, only a brief description of the purpose of the study, methods, and interim results are provided. This study is being conducted in accordance with an approved Quality Assurance Project Plan. The interim results have been reviewed by internal EPA technical experts, quality assurance staff, and management. No interpretation of the interim results is provided. Once complete, the study and its results will be described in detail in a publication subjected to external, expert peer review. EPA does not endorse the purchase or sale of any commercial products or services.