Definition of an Indoor Air Sampling Strategy for SARS-CoV-2 Detection and Risk Management: Case Study in Kindergartens

Laura Borgese, Giuseppe Tomasoni, Filippo Marciano, Annalisa Zacco, Fabjola Bilo, Elena Stefana, Paola Cocca, Diana Rossi, Paola Cirelli, Angelo Luigi Camillo Ciribini, Sara Comai, Silvia Mastrolembo Ventura, Michela Savoldi Boles, Diletta Micheletti, Daniela Cattivelli, Serena Galletti, Sophie Dubacq, Maria Grazia Perrone and Laura Eleonora Depero
Additional contact information
Laura Borgese: INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Giuseppe Tomasoni: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Filippo Marciano: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Annalisa Zacco: INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Fabjola Bilo: INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Elena Stefana: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Paola Cocca: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Diana Rossi: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Paola Cirelli: Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Angelo Luigi Camillo Ciribini: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Architecture and Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Sara Comai: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Architecture and Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Silvia Mastrolembo Ventura: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Architecture and Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Michela Savoldi Boles: BIOSIDE S.r.l., Via A. Einstein, 26900 Lodi, Italy
Diletta Micheletti: BIOSIDE S.r.l., Via A. Einstein, 26900 Lodi, Italy
Daniela Cattivelli: AAT-Advanced Analytical Technologies S.r.l., Via P. Majavacca 12, 29017 Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Italy
Serena Galletti: AAT-Advanced Analytical Technologies S.r.l., Via P. Majavacca 12, 29017 Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Italy
Sophie Dubacq: Bertin Instruments, Brand of Bertin Technologies S.A.S., 10 Bis Avenue Ampère, 78180 Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
Maria Grazia Perrone: TCR Tecora S.r.l., Via delle Primule, 16, 20815 Cogliate, Italy
Laura Eleonora Depero: INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 12, 1-19

Abstract: In the last two years, the world has been overwhelmed by SARS-CoV-2. One of the most important ways to prevent the spread of the virus is the control of indoor conditions: from surface hygiene to ventilation. Regarding the indoor environments, monitoring the presence of the virus in the indoor air seems to be promising, since there is strong evidence that airborne transmission through infected droplets and aerosols is its dominant transmission route. So far, few studies report the successful detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the air; moreover, the lack of a standard guideline for air monitoring reduces the uniformity of the results and their usefulness in the management of the risk of virus transmission. In this work, starting from a critical analysis of the existing standards and guidelines for indoor air quality, we define a strategy to set-up indoor air sampling plans for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The strategy is then tested through a case study conducted in two kindergartens in the metropolitan city of Milan, in Italy, involving a total of 290 children and 47 teachers from 19 classrooms. The results proved its completeness, effectiveness, and suitability as a key tool in the airborne SARS-CoV-2 infection risk management process. Future research directions are then identified and discussed.

Keywords: COVID-19; risk assessment and control; hazard identification; aerosol transmission; droplet transmission; bioaerosol sampling; sampling plan; standard guideline; school (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/12/7406/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/12/7406/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:12:p:7406-:d:840449

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().