{"database":"biostudies-literature","file_versions":[],"scores":null,"additional":{"omics_type":["Unknown"],"submitter":["Parhizkar H"],"funding":["NIEHS NIH HHS"],"pubmed_abstract":["Several studies suggest that far-field transmission (> 6 ft) explains the significant number of COVID-19 superspreading outbreaks. Therefore, quantitative evaluation of near- and far-field exposure to emissions from a source is key to better understanding human-to-human airborne infectious disease transmission and associated risks. In this study, we used an environmentally-controlled chamber to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from a healthy participant who consumed breath mints, which contained unique tracer compounds. Tracer measurements were made at 2.5 ft, 5 ft, 7.5 ft from the participant, as well as in the exhaust plenum of the chamber. We observed that 2.5 ft trials had substantially (~36-44%) higher concentrations than other distances during the first 20 minutes of experiments, highlighting the importance of the near-field relative to the far-field before virus-laden respiratory aerosol plumes are continuously mixed into the far-field. However, for the conditions studied, the concentrations of human-sourced tracers after 20 minutes and approaching the end of the 60-minute trials at 2.5 ft, 5 ft, and 7.5 ft were only ~18%, ~11%, and ~7.5% higher than volume-averaged concentrations, respectively. Our findings highlight the importance of far-field transmission of airborne pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, which need to be considered in public health decision making."],"journal":["Research square"],"pagination":["rs.3.rs-1437107"],"full_dataset_link":["https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8923116"],"repository":["biostudies-literature"],"pubmed_title":["A novel VOC breath tracer method to evaluate indoor respiratory exposures in the near- and far-fields."],"pmcid":["PMC8923116"],"funding_grant_id":["P30 ES000210"],"pubmed_authors":["Corsi RL","Gall ET","Parhizkar H","Laguerre A","Van Den Wymelenberg KG","Stenson J","Fretz M"],"additional_accession":[]},"is_claimable":false,"name":"A novel VOC breath tracer method to evaluate indoor respiratory exposures in the near- and far-fields.","description":"Several studies suggest that far-field transmission (> 6 ft) explains the significant number of COVID-19 superspreading outbreaks. Therefore, quantitative evaluation of near- and far-field exposure to emissions from a source is key to better understanding human-to-human airborne infectious disease transmission and associated risks. In this study, we used an environmentally-controlled chamber to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from a healthy participant who consumed breath mints, which contained unique tracer compounds. Tracer measurements were made at 2.5 ft, 5 ft, 7.5 ft from the participant, as well as in the exhaust plenum of the chamber. We observed that 2.5 ft trials had substantially (~36-44%) higher concentrations than other distances during the first 20 minutes of experiments, highlighting the importance of the near-field relative to the far-field before virus-laden respiratory aerosol plumes are continuously mixed into the far-field. However, for the conditions studied, the concentrations of human-sourced tracers after 20 minutes and approaching the end of the 60-minute trials at 2.5 ft, 5 ft, and 7.5 ft were only ~18%, ~11%, and ~7.5% higher than volume-averaged concentrations, respectively. Our findings highlight the importance of far-field transmission of airborne pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, which need to be considered in public health decision making.","dates":{"release":"2022-01-01T00:00:00Z","publication":"2022 Mar","modification":"2026-05-05T03:21:28.401Z","creation":"2024-11-20T05:55:27.517Z"},"accession":"S-EPMC8923116","cross_references":{"pubmed":["35291299"],"doi":["10.21203/rs.3.rs-1437107/v2"]}}