IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v15y2024i1d10.1038_s41467-024-47777-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ambient carbon dioxide concentration correlates with SARS-CoV-2 aerostability and infection risk

Author

Listed:
  • Allen Haddrell

    (Cantock’s Close, University of Bristol)

  • Henry Oswin

    (Cantock’s Close, University of Bristol)

  • Mara Otero-Fernandez

    (Cantock’s Close, University of Bristol)

  • Joshua F. Robinson

    (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz)

  • Tristan Cogan

    (University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford)

  • Robert Alexander

    (University of Bristol)

  • Jamie F. S. Mann

    (University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford)

  • Darryl Hill

    (University of Bristol)

  • Adam Finn

    (University of Bristol
    University of Bristol)

  • Andrew D. Davidson

    (University of Bristol)

  • Jonathan P. Reid

    (Cantock’s Close, University of Bristol)

Abstract

An improved understanding of the underlying physicochemical properties of respiratory aerosol that influence viral infectivity may open new avenues to mitigate the transmission of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19. Previous studies have shown that an increase in the pH of respiratory aerosols following generation due to changes in the gas-particle partitioning of pH buffering bicarbonate ions and carbon dioxide is a significant factor in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. We show here that a significant increase in SARS-CoV-2 aerostability results from a moderate increase in the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration (e.g. 800 ppm), an effect that is more marked than that observed for changes in relative humidity. We model the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission on the ambient concentration of CO2, concluding that even this moderate increase in CO2 concentration results in a significant increase in overall risk. These observations confirm the critical importance of ventilation and maintaining low CO2 concentrations in indoor environments for mitigating disease transmission. Moreover, the correlation of increased CO2 concentration with viral aerostability need to be better understood when considering the consequences of increases in ambient CO2 levels in our atmosphere.

Suggested Citation

  • Allen Haddrell & Henry Oswin & Mara Otero-Fernandez & Joshua F. Robinson & Tristan Cogan & Robert Alexander & Jamie F. S. Mann & Darryl Hill & Adam Finn & Andrew D. Davidson & Jonathan P. Reid, 2024. "Ambient carbon dioxide concentration correlates with SARS-CoV-2 aerostability and infection risk," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-47777-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47777-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-47777-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-024-47777-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Snezana Bogdanovica & Jurgis Zemitis & Raimonds Bogdanovics, 2020. "The Effect of CO 2 Concentration on Children’s Well-Being during the Process of Learning," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-14, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Guillermo Efren Ovando-Chacon & Sandy Luz Ovando-Chacon & Abelardo Rodríguez-León & Mario Díaz-González, 2023. "Numerical Study of Indoor Air Quality in a University Professor’s Office," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Mateja Dovjak & Ožbej Vene & Janja Vaupotič, 2022. "Analysis of Ventilation Efficiency as Simultaneous Control of Radon and Carbon Dioxide Levels in Indoor Air Applying Transient Modelling," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-20, February.
    3. Piotr Lis & Anna Lis, 2021. "The Required Amount of Ventilation Air for the Classroom and the Possibility of Air Infiltration through the Windows," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-47777-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.