Advancing Public Health Protection: The Efficacy of Electrospun Nanofibers in Capturing and Releasing Viral Aerosols
Presenter Type
UNO Graduate Student (Doctoral)
Major/Field of Study
Biomechanics
Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5931-4771
Advisor Information
Assistant Professor
Location
CEC RM #201/205/209
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
22-3-2024 1:00 PM
End Date
22-3-2024 2:15 PM
Abstract
Advancing Public Health Protection: The Efficacy of Electrospun Nanofibers in Capturing and Releasing Viral Aerosols
Aleksandr Fadeev1, Kevin Crown2,3, Sean Kinahan2,3, Gabriel Lucero2,3, Yury Salkovskiy1
Presenting Author: afadeev@unomaha.edu
1Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America; 2Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America; 3Chemical and Biological Defense Programs, National Strategic Research Institute, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
Introduction: Inhaling virus-containing aerosols is one of the most common pathways for transmitting dangerous diseases. Modern filters for respiratory protection against these viral aerosols are limited by high resistance or insufficient effectiveness, necessitating further improvements in their performance. Our study explores the effectiveness of electrospun nanofibrous filters in capturing viral aerosols, comparing their performance with that of standard filters and assessing the influence of fiber alignment and solubility.
Methods: Water-insoluble polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and water-soluble polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibrous filters were manufactured using the Nanospider NSLAB device for needleless electrospinning. The device was modified to control the alignment of the deposited nanofibers. The resulting filters, with both randomly oriented and aligned nanofibers, were characterized for their nanofiber diameter distribution, alignment, and mechanical properties. The monodisperse aerosol filtration efficiency was measured using the condensation particle counting technique. The effectiveness of polydisperse viral aerosol capture and release was evaluated using light-scattering spectroscopy and complemented by microbiological studies for plaque-forming unit enumeration.
Results: Our findings indicate that electrospun filters significantly reduce the downstream concentration of monodisperse aerosols by 2-3 orders of magnitude, which is associated with a higher pressure drop than that observed with the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) filters. The study underscores the superior performance of water-soluble electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) filters in both viral particle release and monodisperse aerosol filtration, achieving a quality factor 50% higher due to their enhanced submicron aerosol retention and reduced pressure drop, compared to commercial gelatin-based filters used in airborne virus sampling devices.
Additionally, our findings highlight exceptionally low capture and release rates observed in some nanofibrous filters, suggesting a potential virus neutralization effect, a phenomenon warranting further investigation. Despite the complexity of the needleless electrospinning process and the tendency for fibers to deposit randomly, we obtained materials with high alignment of nanofibers, as proven by mechanical testing and scanning electron microscopy. However, we did not find any significant improvement in filtration efficiency or viral particle release efficacy for materials with aligned fibers compared to those with random orientations.
Our research underscores the exceptional promise of electrospun nanofibrous materials in public health applications. By refining the structure and composition of these filters, there is significant potential to advance the state of air purification, respiratory protection technologies, and virus sampling technologies through their exceptional filtration capabilities and adaptability, offering a superior alternative to traditional filtration media. This work lays the groundwork for future studies aimed at optimizing the functionalization of nanofibers to maximize their filtration efficiency and utility in critical health-related applications.
Advancing Public Health Protection: The Efficacy of Electrospun Nanofibers in Capturing and Releasing Viral Aerosols
CEC RM #201/205/209
Advancing Public Health Protection: The Efficacy of Electrospun Nanofibers in Capturing and Releasing Viral Aerosols
Aleksandr Fadeev1, Kevin Crown2,3, Sean Kinahan2,3, Gabriel Lucero2,3, Yury Salkovskiy1
Presenting Author: afadeev@unomaha.edu
1Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America; 2Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America; 3Chemical and Biological Defense Programs, National Strategic Research Institute, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
Introduction: Inhaling virus-containing aerosols is one of the most common pathways for transmitting dangerous diseases. Modern filters for respiratory protection against these viral aerosols are limited by high resistance or insufficient effectiveness, necessitating further improvements in their performance. Our study explores the effectiveness of electrospun nanofibrous filters in capturing viral aerosols, comparing their performance with that of standard filters and assessing the influence of fiber alignment and solubility.
Methods: Water-insoluble polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and water-soluble polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibrous filters were manufactured using the Nanospider NSLAB device for needleless electrospinning. The device was modified to control the alignment of the deposited nanofibers. The resulting filters, with both randomly oriented and aligned nanofibers, were characterized for their nanofiber diameter distribution, alignment, and mechanical properties. The monodisperse aerosol filtration efficiency was measured using the condensation particle counting technique. The effectiveness of polydisperse viral aerosol capture and release was evaluated using light-scattering spectroscopy and complemented by microbiological studies for plaque-forming unit enumeration.
Results: Our findings indicate that electrospun filters significantly reduce the downstream concentration of monodisperse aerosols by 2-3 orders of magnitude, which is associated with a higher pressure drop than that observed with the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) filters. The study underscores the superior performance of water-soluble electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) filters in both viral particle release and monodisperse aerosol filtration, achieving a quality factor 50% higher due to their enhanced submicron aerosol retention and reduced pressure drop, compared to commercial gelatin-based filters used in airborne virus sampling devices.
Additionally, our findings highlight exceptionally low capture and release rates observed in some nanofibrous filters, suggesting a potential virus neutralization effect, a phenomenon warranting further investigation. Despite the complexity of the needleless electrospinning process and the tendency for fibers to deposit randomly, we obtained materials with high alignment of nanofibers, as proven by mechanical testing and scanning electron microscopy. However, we did not find any significant improvement in filtration efficiency or viral particle release efficacy for materials with aligned fibers compared to those with random orientations.
Our research underscores the exceptional promise of electrospun nanofibrous materials in public health applications. By refining the structure and composition of these filters, there is significant potential to advance the state of air purification, respiratory protection technologies, and virus sampling technologies through their exceptional filtration capabilities and adaptability, offering a superior alternative to traditional filtration media. This work lays the groundwork for future studies aimed at optimizing the functionalization of nanofibers to maximize their filtration efficiency and utility in critical health-related applications.