SARS-CoV-2 in Atmospheric Particulate Matter: An Experimental Survey in the Province of Venice in Northern Italy

Alberto Pivato, Gianni Formenton, Francesco Di Maria, Tatjana Baldovin, Irene Amoruso, Tiziano Bonato, Pamela Mancini, Giusy Bonanno Ferraro, Carolina Veneri, Marcello Iaconelli, Lucia Bonadonna, Teresa Vicenza, Giuseppina La Rosa and Elisabetta Suffredini
Additional contact information
Alberto Pivato: Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (ICEA), University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
Gianni Formenton: Environmental Agency of Veneto Region (ARPAV), 30171 Mestre, Italy
Francesco Di Maria: LAR Laboratory, Dipartimento di Ingegneria, University of Perugia, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Tatjana Baldovin: Hygiene and Public Health Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
Irene Amoruso: Hygiene and Public Health Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
Tiziano Bonato: Società Estense Servizi Ambientali (S.E.S.A. S.p.A.), 35042 Este, Italy
Pamela Mancini: Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Giusy Bonanno Ferraro: Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Carolina Veneri: Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Marcello Iaconelli: Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Lucia Bonadonna: Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Teresa Vicenza: Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Giuseppina La Rosa: Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Elisabetta Suffredini: Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-14

Abstract: Analysis of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) has been proposed for the environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study was to increase the current knowledge about the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in atmospheric PM, introduce a dedicated sampling method, and perform a simultaneous assessment of human seasonal coronavirus 229E. Thirty-two PM samples were collected on quartz fiber filters and six on Teflon using a low- and high-volumetric rate sampler, respectively, adopting a novel procedure for optimized virus detection. Sampling was performed at different sites in the Venice area (Italy) between 21 February and 8 March 2020 ( n = 16) and between 27 October and 25 November 2020 ( n = 22). A total of 14 samples were positive for Coronavirus 229E, 11 of which were collected in October–November 2020 (11/22; positivity rate 50%) and 3 in February–March 2020 (3/16 samples, 19%). A total of 24 samples (63%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Most of the positive filters were collected in October–November 2020 (19/22; positivity rate, 86%), whereas the remaining five were collected in February–March 2020 at two distinct sites (5/16, 31%). These findings suggest that outdoor PM analysis could be a promising tool for environmental surveillance. The results report a low concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in outdoor air, supporting a scarce contribution to the spread of infection.

Keywords: airborne transmission; COVID-19; particulate matter; SARS-CoV-2 in air; transport carrier; air pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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