Issue 11, 2023

The association of air quality and complex atmospheric oxidation chemistry in the dispersion and deposition of SARS-CoV-2-laden aerosols

Abstract

The present study investigates the effects of air pollution and climate factors on the acceleration of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and mortality. In particular, the correlations between O3, NO2, PM2.5, PM10 and SO2 concentrations with daily number of infections and fatalities caused by the second wave of COVID-19 during the time period March–June 2021 in Indian cities with different climate zones are analyzed. The chemical transformations in the atmosphere that translated to dispersion of SARS-CoV-2 aerosols and their deposition in the respiratory system are studied. The results suggested that exposure to a higher level of O3 may weaken the respiratory system, and therefore resistance against COVID-19 is suppressed. The infectious aerosols undergo reactive encounters with atmospheric oxidants, forming secondary aerosols before deposition in the lungs. The pulmonary epithelium is naturally protected against atmospheric O3 and secondary aerosols by lung-lining fluids that contain ascorbic acid, AH2 and other antioxidants. Since O3 and COVID-19 infections showed a positive correlation, AH2 and the underlying tissues will be the most affected. The mechanism for the interaction of O3 with AH2 is studied using quantum chemical methods. During this interaction, a persistent ozonide is formed in lung-lining fluids and this is acidified by the inhaled aerosols. Earlier epidemiological and toxicological studies revealed that this ozonide leads to the formation of cytotoxic free radicals that can cause oxidative stress during breathing. Thus, O3 plays a significant role in the deposition of aerosols in the lungs. The results of this study add to prevailing evidence as well as providing new insights into the role of ambient O3 in the dispersion and deposition of SARS-CoV-2 aerosols.

Graphical abstract: The association of air quality and complex atmospheric oxidation chemistry in the dispersion and deposition of SARS-CoV-2-laden aerosols

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Janv. 2023
Accepted
08 Sept. 2023
First published
08 Sept. 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Environ. Sci.: Adv., 2023,2, 1540-1553

The association of air quality and complex atmospheric oxidation chemistry in the dispersion and deposition of SARS-CoV-2-laden aerosols

S. Lakshmanan, R. Aggarwal, K. Senthilkumar and A. Upadhayay, Environ. Sci.: Adv., 2023, 2, 1540 DOI: 10.1039/D3VA00016H

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