Control of Airborne Microorganisms by Essential Oils Released by VaxiPod

Ekaterina Mirskaya,Igor E Agranovski

doi:10.3390/atmos12111418

Abstract

Currently, due to the global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, new procedures and devices for effective disinfection of indoor air are of obvious interest. Various studies demonstrated quite broad ranges of the efficiency of essential oils in the control of biological aerosols. This project reports the results of investigation of the antimicrobial activity of essential oils natural for Australia (tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil and lemon myrtle) distributed by newly developed VaxiPod device for various scenarios, including bacterial, viral and fungal inactivation on various surfaces and in aerosol form. It was found that the device was capable of operating continuously over 24-h periods, providing sufficient aerosol concentration to efficiently inactivate microorganisms both on the surface and in airborne form. Twenty-four to forty-eight hours were required to achieve inactivation above 90% of most of the tested microbes on solid surfaces (stainless steel discs and agar plates), whilst similar efficiency of inactivation on fibrous filter surface as well as in aerosol form was achieved over 30–60 min of the process run. The results look very promising for further development of bioaerosol inactivating procedures and technologies for air quality control applications.

Highlights

In the global pandemic situation, the prevention and mitigation of pathogenic microorganisms in indoor air spaces and on various surfaces attract significant attention
Australian endemic plants produce a variety of essential oils such as tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil and lemon myrtle oil which are used in health products, aromatherapy, perfumes, bushfoods, food flavourings and herbal teas [3]
Essential oils added to the ambient air as vapour or aerosol are effective antimicrobial

Summary

Introduction

In the global pandemic situation, the prevention and mitigation of pathogenic microorganisms in indoor air spaces and on various surfaces attract significant attention. The disinfectants used for these systems should be effective in reducing the microorganisms present in the air but should not be toxic for humans, allowing their continuous application. Essential oils (EOs) are complex mixtures of volatile liquid and lipophilic compounds obtained by parts of plants by extraction, effleurage, drag steam vapour, extraction with organic solvents, pressing, or supercritical fluid extraction [2]. Australian endemic plants produce a variety of essential oils such as tea tree oil (oil of Melaleuca alternifolia), eucalyptus oil (oil of Eucalyptus polybractea) and lemon myrtle oil (oil of Backhousia citriodora) which are used in health products, aromatherapy, perfumes, bushfoods, food flavourings and herbal teas [3]

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