Study on bioaerosol diffusion and deposition in a mobile BSL-4 laboratory based on air age analysis

Abstract

Biosafety issues have aroused global concern, especially after the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron strain of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused incalculable human and property losses. Laboratory-acquired infections (LAIs) caused by improper operations or accidents are frequently reported. Research is urgently needed for a mobile biosafety level-4 (BSL-4) laboratory with a high risk for exposure. Deposition characteristics and the spatial distribution of bioaerosols under two typical cases were studied in this paper. Based on the age of air and simulation of airflow pattern, a detailed analysis of infection risk and the distribution of bioaerosols was conducted. The deposition characteristics of particles on different surfaces were analyzed based on particle tracking technology. The results showed that the removal rate of bioaerosols was lower in the space area of the laboratory from 1.6 m above the ground. The distribution of high-risk areas is affected by the coupling of equipment layout and pollution sources, mainly located downstream of the main airflow in the laboratory, and the particle concentration was eight times that of the low-risk areas. More than half of bioaerosol particles are deposited on laboratory equipment and walls. The number of particles deposited on the wall was the largest, accounting for 25.02% of the total. The unit area deposition ratio of the experimental table was the highest, which was 6.14 %/m2. The main deposition area of each surface was determined, which could be of guiding significance to the determination of the key disinfection location of the mobile BSL-4 laboratory.