Survivability of a particle laden sessile coughed and sneezed droplet subjected to different ambient conditions

Abstract

The present work analyzes the survival of particle laden coughed and sneezed droplets under the influence of different weather conditions. Firstly, the impact of ambient conditions on the evaporation kinetics of a droplet containing fluorescent particles placed on a hydrophobic surface (akin to human skin which has low surface energy) is explored. The experimental situations are chosen accordingly so as to imitate the scenario of the evaporation of virus contaminated saliva droplets being ejected on human skin. Following the micro-Particle Image Velocimetry analysis, the internal dynamics of the droplet subjected to varied ambient conditions are quantified. Secondly, through both the theoretical and experimental investigations, the temporal loss of droplet volume being subjected to diverse atmospheric conditions is explored. Lastly, it has been demonstrated that the stress being generated inside the droplet due to the development of the internal flow velocities, becomes significantly higher at a higher wind velocities. The higher stress may endorse a situation leading to the possibility of disruption of the virion lipid membrane (for a case pertaining to the virus laden droplet).