Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, abbreviated as SARS-CoV-2, has been associated with the transmission of infectious COVID-19 disease through breathing and speech droplets emitted by infected carriers including asymptomatic cases. As part of SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic preparedness, we studied the transmission of aerosolized air mimicking the infected person releasing speech aerosol with droplets containing CorNPs using a vibrating mesh nebulizer as human patient simulator. Generally speech produces nanoaerosols with droplets of <5 μm in diameter that can travel distances longer than 1 m after release. It is assumed that speech aerosol droplets are a main element of the current Corona virus pandemic, unlike droplets larger than 5 m, which settle down within a 1 m radius. There are no systemic studies, which take into account speech-generated aerosol/droplet experimental validation and their aerodynamics/particle kinetics analysis. In this study, we cover these topics and explore role of residual water in aerosol droplet stability by exploring drying dynamics. Furthermore, a candle experiment was designed to determine whether air pollution might influence respiratory virus like nanoparticle transmission and air stability.

Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares Departamento de Física de Partículas Universidade de Santiago de Compostela 15782 Santiago de Compostela Spain

German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment Department of Biological Safety Diedersdorfer Weg 1 12277 Berlin Germany

German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment Department of Chemical and Product Safety Max Dohrn Straße 8 10 10589 Berlin Germany

University of Chemistry and Technology 166 28 Prague 6 Czech Republic

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