E110 Pathogen Protection for Surfaces

Course Description:

Why do we need to care about the indoor air we breathe? Indoor air quality, IAQ, is a critical aspect of maintaining a healthy living environment, as we spend a significant portion of our time indoors. This course provides an in-depth examination of the causes and sources of indoor air problems, the standards on indoor air pollution, emissions, air quality or lack thereof, and the importance of good indoor air quality on health because poor IAQ amplifies chronic diseases and the transmission of airborne pathogens. Participants will learn how indoor air quality assessments are conducted, including indoor air testing for common pollutants, pathogens and interpretation of the results.

What can we do to improve indoor air quality? The second part of the course will dive into the scientific evidence either in support or against using traditional technologies for improving indoor air quality by minimizing the spread of pollutants and infectious pathogens. These AQ improvement strategies include mechanical ones such as air filtration/purification, dilution by ventilation, and air sanitation used alone or in combination in terms of their effectiveness in a lab vs real world setting. Nature-inspired air cleaning technologies that do not require traditional disposable filters, toxic chemicals or mechanical ventilation but rather rely on biofiltration will be covered in terms of their effectiveness and limitations in removing air pollutants, pathogen removal and their effects on relative humidity and CO2 control. These biological engineering solutions for enhancing IAQ include green home solutions such as pathogen purifying plants, green wall purifying biofilters, green air conditioning using plants, and a living atmosphere control system that controls humidity using a green cell consisting of plants that deliver O2 and recycle CO2. Research has shown plant biofilters have positive effects on the air and surface microbiome diversity indoors, help exclude pathogens from biofilms and establish symbiotic environments by capturing pathogens and forming beneficial mycelium networks.

Future building design strategies in the post pandemic architecture will require a holistic design employing both mechanical and biological technologies to manage IAQ which include proper ventilation, air filtration, humidity regulation and temperature control as well as specification of safe materials and cleaning/disinfecting agents.

Course Activities

Course Activities:

1. Attendees will explore how improving ventilation (air flow) could help reduce airborne virus particles and prevent transmission when guests visit your home using two online interactive tools: the home ventilation tool & the Virus Particle Exposure in Residences (ViPER).

2. Attendees will learn about the web-based tool Fate and Transport of Indoor Microbiological Aerosols (FaTIMA) which allows for the determination of the indoor fate of microbiological aerosols associated with ventilation, filtration, deposition and inactivation mechanisms. This applies to indoor air pollutants as well.

3. Attendees will use an excel spreadsheet to simulate the relative risks of different situations masking (type, with or without), ventilation rates (outdoor, indoor and well ventilated, poorly ventilated) and aerosol-removal rates, number of occupants (high vs low), and duration of exposure, to investigate airborne viral transmission risk reduction.

4. Attendees will apply computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses for indoor air quality improvement and infection risk reduction. A CFD case study on virus transmission and mitigation measures in a dental clinic will be presented to show that CFD analyses are required in order to predict the 3D distributions of concentrations of aerosol particles carrying the virus from an infected person. Then propose effective mitigation measures in particular indoor environments (including proper placements of people, HVAC system and air purifiers). Using HVAC and air purifiers without preliminary CFD analysis is not recommended as it could be counterproductive in some cases.

Q & A

Trainer: Dr. Lukasz, Porosa PhD (Full Bio)

Dr. Lukasz Porosa, PhD, Chief Chemist, Inventor, Consultant. Dr. Porosa has extensive experience in researching, developing and commercializing pathogen and microbial control technologies. Dr. Lukasz Porosa earned a Ph.D. in Environmental and Applied Science under the guidance of Dr. Daniel Foucher and Dr. Gideon Wolfaardt from Ryerson University (Toronto Metropolitan University) in

Toronto Canada. During his PhD (2009-2014), Dr. Porosa developed new anchor technologies for immobilizing new quaternary ammonium antimicrobials onto porous and non-porous surfaces, specifically common plastics and metal oxide surfaces. By replacing the existing silane anchor from the well-known C18 hydrocarbon quaternary ammonium antimicrobial originally develop by Dow chemical with a benzophenone, sulfonyl and organophosphate groups the antimicrobials now became capable of permanent and robust attachment onto textiles, metal and plastic surfaces at the nano level. Dr. Porosa's doctoral thesis was named to the governor general award in Canada and his research findings at Ryerson have resulted in over 10 scientific publications, 5 issued US patents, and 10 international published patent applications. Dr. Porosa is currently working as a consultant in collaboration with Ryerson University and various antimicrobial Technologies to commercialize and launch the novel antimicrobial coatings for the medical textile/devices marketplace. Dr. Porosa is also in the process of scale up manufacturing his patented technologies in order to sustainably supply existing retail and medical device customers.