Measurements and Simulations of Aerosol Released while Singing and Playing Wind Instruments
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Stockman T
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8525345 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The exhalation of aerosols during musical performances or rehearsals posed a risk of airborne virus transmission in the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research studied aerosol plumes by only focusing on one risk factor, either the source strength or convective transport capability. Furthermore, the source strength was characterized by the aerosol concentration and ignored the airflow rate needed for risk analysis in actual musical performances. This study characterizes aerosol plumes that account for both the source strength and convective transport capability by conducting experiments with 18 human subjects. The source strength was characterized by the source aerosol emission rate, defined as the source aerosol concentration multiplied by the source airflow rate (brass 383 particle/s, singing 408 particle/s, and woodwind 480 particle/s). The convective transport capability was characterized by the plume influence distance, defined as the sum of the horizontal jet length and horizontal instrument length (brass 0.6 m, singing 0.6 m and woodwind 0.8 m). Results indicate that woodwind instruments produced the highest risk with approximately 20% higher source aerosol emission rates and 30% higher plume influence distances compared with the average of the same risk indicators for singing and brass instruments. Interestingly, the clarinet performance produced moderate source aerosol concentrations at the instrument's bell, but had the highest source aerosol emission rates due to high source airflow rates. Flute performance generated plumes with the lowest source aerosol emission rates but the highest plume influence distances due to the highest source airflow rate. Notably, these comprehensive results show that the source airflow is a critical component of the risk of airborne disease transmission. The effectiveness of masking and bell covering in reducing aerosol transmission is due to the mitigation of both source aerosol concentrations and plume influence distances. This study also found a musician who generated approximately five times more source aerosol concentrations than those of the other musicians who played the same instrument. Despite voice and brass instruments producing measurably lower average risk, it is possible to have an individual musician produce aerosol plumes with high source strength, resulting in enhanced transmission risk; however, our sample size was too small to make generalizable conclusions regarding the broad musician population.
| S-EPMC9328346 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The potential airborne transmission of COVID-19 has raised significant concerns regarding the safety of musical activities involving wind instruments. However, currently, there is a lack of systematic study and quantitative information of the aerosol generation during these instruments, which is crucial for offering risk assessment and the corresponding mitigation strategies for the reopening of these activities. Collaborating with 15 musicians from the Minnesota Orchestra, we conduct a systematic study of the aerosol generation from a large variety of wind instruments under different music dynamic levels and articulation patterns. We find that the aerosol concentration from different brass and woodwinds exhibits two orders of magnitude variation. Accordingly, we categorize the instruments into low (tuba), intermediate (bassoon, piccolo, flute, bass clarinet, French horn, and clarinet) and high risk (trumpet, bass trombone, and oboe) levels based on a comparison of their aerosol generation with those from normal breathing and speaking. In addition, we observe that the aerosol generation can be affected by the changing dynamic level, articulation pattern, the normal respiratory behaviors of individuals, and even the usage of some special techniques during the instrument play. However, such effects vary substantially for different types of instrument, depending on specific breathing techniques as well as the tube structure and inlet design of the instrument. Overall, our findings can bring insights into the risk assessment of airborne decrease transmission and the corresponding mitigation strategies for various musical activities involving wind instrument plays, including orchestras, community and worship bands, music classes, etc.
| S-EPMC7492159 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Musical activities, especially singing and playing wind instruments, have been singled out as potentially high-risk activities for the transmission of SARS CoV-2, due to a higher rate of aerosol production and emission. Playing wind instruments can produce condensation, droplets of saliva, and aerosol particles, which hover and spread in the environmental air's convectional flows and which can be potentially infectious. The aim of this study is to investigate the primary impulse dispersion of aerosols that takes place during the playing of different wind instruments as compared to breathing and to speaking. Nine professional musicians (3 trumpeters, 3 flautists and 3 clarinetists) from the Bavarian Symphony Orchestra performed the main theme from the 4th movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's 9th symphony in different pitches and loudness. The inhaled air volume was marked with small aerosol particles produced using a commercial e-cigarette. The expelled aerosol cloud was recorded by cameras from different perspectives. Afterwards, the dimensions and dynamics of the aerosol cloud were measured by segmenting the video footage at every time point. Overall, the flutes produced the largest dispersion at the end of the task, reaching maximum forward distances of 1.88 m. An expulsion of aerosol was observed in different directions: upwards and downwards at the mouthpiece, at the end of the instrument, and along the flute at the key plane. In comparison, the maximum impulse dispersions generated by the trumpets and clarinets were lower in frontal and lateral direction (1.2 m and 1.0 m towards the front, respectively). Also, the expulsion to the sides was lower.
| S-EPMC8893631 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Study objectivesTo systematically survey the scientific literature concerning the effect of playing a wind instrument or singing on sleep, snoring, and/or obstructive sleep apnea.MethodsThe PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched up to December 2019. Observational studies and (Randomized) Controlled Clinical Trials that assessed sleep, snoring, or obstructive sleep apnea as clinical outcome or via a questionnaire were included. For the individual studies, the potential risk of bias was scored. Data between oral musicians and control participants were extracted. Descriptive analysis and meta-analysis were performed.ResultsSix eligible studies (5 cross-sectional, 1 randomized controlled trial) were retrieved, with an estimated potential bias ranking from low to high. The sample sizes ranged from 25 to 1,105 participants. Descriptive analysis indicated that players of a double-reed instrument have a lower risk of obstructive sleep apnea and that singers snore less compared with control participants. Playing a didgeridoo showed a positive effect on apnea-hypopnea index, daytime sleepiness, and partner's rating for sleep disturbance. The descriptive analysis could not be substantiated in the meta-analysis. The magnitude of the effect was zero to small, and the generalizability was limited because of long (professional) rehearsal time or small sample size.ConclusionsPlaying a wind instrument and singing may have a small but positive effect on sleep disorders. Considering the practicality and investment of (rehearsal) time, didgeridoo and singing are the most promising interventions to reduce obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, respectively. However, the results of this review are based on few studies and the synthesis of the evidence is graded to have low certainty.
| S-EPMC7970593 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Aerosol emissions from wind instruments are a suspected route of transmission for airborne infectious diseases, such as SARS-CoV-2. We evaluated aerosol number emissions (from 0.25 to 35.15 μm) from 81 volunteer performers of both sexes and varied age (12 to 63 years) while playing wind instruments (bassoon, clarinet, flute, French horn, oboe, piccolo, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, and tuba) or singing. Measured emissions spanned more than two orders of magnitude, ranging in rate from < 8 to 1,815 particles s-1, with brass instruments, on average, producing 191% (95% CI 81-367%) more aerosol than woodwinds. Being male was associated with a 70% increase in emissions (vs. female; 95% CI 9-166%). Each 1 dBA increase in sound pressure level was associated with a 28% increase (95% CI 10-40%) in emissions from brass instruments; sound pressure level was not associated with woodwind emissions. Age was not a significant predictor of emissions. The use of bell covers reduced aerosol emissions from three brass instruments tested (trombone, tuba, and trumpet), with average reductions ranging from 53 to 73%, but not for the two woodwind instruments tested (oboe and clarinet). Results from this work can facilitate infectious disease risk management for the performing arts.
| S-EPMC9252563 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In this study, emission rates of aerosols emitted by professional singers were measured with a laser particle counter under cleanroom conditions. The emission rates during singing varied between 753 and 6093 particles/sec with a median of 1537 particles/sec. Emission rates for singing were compared with data for breathing and speaking. Significantly higher emission rates were found for singing. The emission enhancements between singing and speaking were between 4.0 and 99.5 with a median of 17.4, largely due to higher sound pressure levels when singing. Further, significant effects of vocal loudness were found, whereas there were no significant differences between the investigated voice classifications. The present study supports the efforts to improve the risk management in cases of possible aerogenic virus transmission, especially for choir singing.
| S-EPMC8295351 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background/objectivePlaying a wind instrument implies rhythmic jaw movements where the embouchure applies forces with different directions and intensities towards the orofacial structures. These features are relevant when comparing the differences between a clarinettist and a saxophone player embouchure, independently to the fact that both belong to the single-reed instrument group, making therefore necessary to update the actual classification.MethodsLateral cephalograms were taken to single-reed, double-reed and brass instrumentalists with the purpose of analyzing the relationship of the mouthpiece and the orofacial structures.ResultsThe comparison of the different wind instruments showed substantial differences. Therefore the authors purpose a new classification of wind instruments: Class 1 single-reed mouthpiece, division 1- clarinet, division 2 -saxophone; Class 2 double-reed instruments, division 1- oboe, division 2- bassoon; Class 3 cup-shaped mouthpiece, division 1- trumpet and French horn, division 2- trombone and tuba; Class 4 aperture mouthpieces, division 1- flute, division 2 - transversal flute and piccolo.ConclusionsElements such as dental arches, teeth and lips, assume vital importance at a new nomenclature and classification of woodwind instruments that were in the past mainly classified by the type of mouthpiece and not taking into consideration its relationship with their neighboring structures.
| S-EPMC6587030 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, singing activities for children and young people have been strictly regulated with far-reaching consequences for music education in schools and ensemble and choir singing in some places. This is also due to the fact, that there has been no reliable data available on aerosol emissions from adolescents speaking, singing, and shouting. By utilizing a laser particle counter in cleanroom conditions we show, that adolescents emit fewer aerosol particles during singing than what has been known so far for adults. In our data, the emission rates ranged from 16 P/s to 267 P/s for speaking, 141 P/s to 1240 P/s for singing, and 683 P/s to 4332 P/s for shouting. The data advocate an adaptation of existing risk management strategies and rules of conduct for groups of singing adolescents, like gatherings in an educational context, e.g. singing lessons or choir rehearsals.
| S-EPMC7875408 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In the CoVID-19 pandemic, singing came into focus as a high-risk activity for the infection with airborne viruses and was therefore forbidden by many governmental administrations. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of surgical masks regarding the spatial and temporal dispersion of aerosol and droplets during professional singing. Ten professional singers performed a passage of the Ludwig van Beethoven's "Ode of Joy" in two experimental setups-each with and without surgical masks. First, they sang with previously inhaled vapor of e-cigarettes. The emitted cloud was recorded by three cameras to measure its dispersion dynamics. Secondly, the naturally expelled larger droplets were illuminated by a laser light sheet and recorded by a high-speed camera. The exhaled vapor aerosols were decelerated and deflected by the mask and stayed in the singer's near-field around and above their heads. In contrast, without mask, the aerosols spread widely reaching distances up to 1.3 m. The larger droplets were reduced by up to 86% with a surgical mask worn. The study shows that surgical masks display an effective tool to reduce the range of aerosol dispersion during singing. In combination with an appropriate aeration strategy for aerosol removal, choir singers could be positioned in a more compact assembly without contaminating neighboring singers all singers.
| S-EPMC8491963 | biostudies-literature
Project description:COVID-19 has restricted singing in communal worship. We sought to understand variations in droplet transmission and the impact of wearing face masks. Using rapid laser planar imaging, we measured droplets while participants exhaled, said 'hello' or 'snake', sang a note or 'Happy Birthday', with and without surgical face masks. We measured mean velocity magnitude (MVM), time averaged droplet number (TADN) and maximum droplet number (MDN). Multilevel regression models were used. In 20 participants, sound intensity was 71 dB for speaking and 85 dB for singing (p < 0.001). MVM was similar for all tasks with no clear hierarchy between vocal tasks or people and > 85% reduction wearing face masks. Droplet transmission varied widely, particularly for singing. Masks decreased TADN by 99% (p < 0.001) and MDN by 98% (p < 0.001) for singing and 86-97% for other tasks. Masks reduced variance by up to 48%. When wearing a mask, neither singing task transmitted more droplets than exhaling. In conclusion, wide variation exists for droplet production. This significantly reduced when wearing face masks. Singing during religious worship wearing a face mask appears as safe as exhaling or talking. This has implications for UK public health guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
| S-EPMC8683488 | biostudies-literature