Study on the Scavenging Effect of Steady-state Displacement Air Purification System on Indoor Bioaerosol

Abstract

Many types of microorganisms, including SARS-CoV-2, can spread through aerosols. Indoor medical environments are abundant in bioaerosols, which can cause infections among medical staff members and patients in hospitals. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, using a steady-state displacement air purification system may reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other microorganisms. In this study, we analyzed the purification effect of the steady-state displacement air purification system on bioaerosols in the bronchoscopy room of the hospital. In particular, bioaerosols were collected from the bronchoscopy room at different periods from April to May 2021. Among them, the microorganisms contained in the bioaerosol were identified using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and culture and strain identification. During the experiment, we took 5 sampling points to collect the bioaerosols. The total purification efficiency was 88.0% (NGS) and 87.5% (microbial culture count and identification). The results were significantly different between the purified and unpurified groups. In an occupant environment in the bronchoscopy room, the steady-state displacement air purification system exerted a favorable removal effect on the bioaerosols. Such purification efficiency may help prevent the in-hospital spread of COVID-19 and various infectious diseases.