title: Respirator Testing Using Virus Aerosol: Comparison between Viability Penetration and Physical Penetration.
abstract: Viability, fluorescence (particle volume), photometric, viral RNA, and particle number penetration of MS2 bacteriophage through filter media used in three different models of respirators were compared to better understand the correlation between viability and physical penetration. Although viability and viral RNA penetration were better represented by particle volume penetration than particle number penetration, they were several-fold lower than photometric penetration, which was partially due to the difference in virus survival between upstream and downstream aerosol samples. Results suggest that the current NIOSH photometer-based test method can be used as a quick means to roughly differentiate respirators with different performance against virus aerosols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 111 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA zuoxx011@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Zhili
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 111 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kuehn
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 111 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: David Y H
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Pui
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis*; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis; D005374:Filtration / Q000379:methods*; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000032:analysis; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control; D010316:Particle Size; D010783:Photometry; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States; D014780:Viruses
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational
keywords: airborne virus; filtration; particle volume penetration; photometric penetration; viability penetration