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Comparing aerosol concentrations and particle size distributions generated by singing, speaking and breathing

ABSTRACT: Data supplied represents the data plotted in the figures in the manuscript "Comparing aerosol concentrations and particle size distributions generated by singing, speaking and breathing" as well the supplementary material for this manuscript, published in 2021: Aerosol Science and Technology , Volume 55, 2021, Pages 681-691. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2021.1883544 We also supply text files containing the anonymized raw data for 25 human volunteers, which is the aerosol concentration sampled by an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer when the volunteer performed different types of respiratory activity (breathing, singing etc), reported as Time vs Concentration (units particles.cm-3). We also supply the timesheets listing the time that each activity was performed for each participant.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens (human)

SUBMITTER: Florence Gregson

PROVIDER: S-BSST671 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:BackgroundEvidence for indoor airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is accumulating.ObjectivesWe assessed of the risk of illness due to airborne SARS-CoV-2 particles from breathing, speaking, singing, coughing, and sneezing in indoor environments.MethodsA risk assessment model, AirCoV2, for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 particles in aerosol droplets was developed. Previously published data on droplets expelled by breathing, speaking, singing, coughing, and sneezing by an infected person were used as inputs. Scenarios encompassed virus concentration, exposure time, and ventilation. Newly collected data of virus RNA copies in mucus from patients are presented.ResultsThe expelled volume of aerosols was highest for a sneeze, followed by a cough, singing, speaking, and breathing. After 20 min of exposure, at 107 RNA copies/mL in mucus, all mean illness risks were largely estimated to be below 0.001, except for the "high" sneeze scenario. At virus concentrations above 108 RNA copies/mL, and after 2 h of exposure, in the high and "low" sneeze scenarios, the high cough scenario and the singing scenario, risks exceeded 0.01 and may become very high, whereas the low coughing scenario, the high and low speaking scenarios and the breathing scenario remained below 0.1. After 2 h of exposure, singing became the second highest risk scenario. One air exchange per hour reduced risk of illness by about a factor of 2. Six air exchanges per hour reduced risks of illness by a factor of 8-13 for the sneeze and cough scenarios and by a factor of 4-9 for the other scenarios.DiscussionThe large variation in the volume of expelled aerosols is discussed. The model calculations indicated that SARS-CoV-2 transmission via aerosols outside of the 1.5-m social distancing norm can occur. Virus concentrations in aerosols and/or the amount of expelled aerosol droplets need to be high for substantial transmission via this route. AirCoV2 is made available as interactive computational tool. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7886.

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Comparing aerosol concentrations and particle size distributions generated by singing, speaking and breathing

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