Enhanced Removal of Viral Aerosols using Nanosilver/TiO2-Chitosan Filters Combined with a Negative Air Ionizer

Abstract

The presence of airborne viruses in bioaerosols is a significant and ongoing public health concern. In this context, this study aimed to develop a new filter that integrates nanosilver into a TiO2-chitosan matrix (nano-Ag/TiO2-CS) to inactivate the non-enveloped bacteriophage MS2 as a viral aerosol surrogate. The materials were characterized using various techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The SEM images showed that the nano-Ag particles were spheres with a high surface area for virus interactions and that the fiber surfaces were covered by nano-Ag, which enhanced contact with viruses. The optimal 5wt% nano-Ag/TiO2-CS filter combined with a negative air ionizer (NAI) showed the highest viral aerosol removal efficiency, which reached 97%. The use of an NAI during filtration enhanced the inactivation of the viral aerosols. A long-term antiviral efficacy assessment showed that the nano-Ag/TiO2-CS filter demonstrated robust durability, which is vital for real-world applications. The nanofilter proposed in this work is simple, safe, and cost-effective for inactivating viral aerosols to improve indoor air quality.