Rapid inactivation of airborne porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus using an atmospheric pressure air plasma

The transmission of airborne diseases in animals poses great risks to animal safety with potential significant economic losses. In this study, we report on the use of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) for in‐flight inactivation of an airborne aerosolized porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. The infectivity of the sampled virus downstream compared to upstream of the DBD reactor as determined by the TCID50 method showed a ∼3.5 log10 reduction in the virus titer. Independent testing of the viral genome by the reverse‐transcription quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction method confirmed the inactivation with minimal filtering effects. Both short‐lived species such as OH• and O2(a1Δg) and peroxynitrous acid (ONOOH) chemistry at low pH in the virus‐laden droplets are suggested to be responsible for the observed inactivation. Aerosolized porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in a wind tunnel is inactivated by a flow‐through volumetric dielectric barrier discharge with a gas residence time of 15 ms. A ~3.5log10 reduction in the virus titer is achieved. An analysis of the results partially based on previously reported modeling of plasma aerosol treatments suggests that both short‐lived and long‐lived reactive species can be responsible for the observed inactivation.