Effectiveness of Ozone Gas on Airborne Virus Inactivation in Enclosed Spaces: A Review Study
Mahmood Alimohammadi, Maziar Naderi
Abstract
Due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19, the problem of protecting the individual against airborne transmission has become of great importance. This transmission occurs when virus-containing droplets enter the respiratory tract. Accordingly, the inactivation of airborne viruses plays significant role in mitigating the threat posed by a human-to-human infectious disease. The use of gas-based treatments such as ozone to decontaminate indoor air containing viruses has been increased. Ozone is a strong oxidizing agent that can be used to inactivate broad-range viruses that might be resistant to other disinfectants. The purpose of the study is to bring attention to the ozonizing of indoor air as a novel treatment for the inactivation of viruses. This review study showed that enveloped viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2) are more sensitive to oxidizing agents such as ozone than to non-enveloped viruses. Furthermore, some viruses such as coronaviruses have cysteine containing a sulfhydryl group that reacts with ozone gas. The study indicated that more free radicals will be formed when air humidity is higher, which could lead to higher virus inactivation. Air disinfection by ozone gas can be a promising approach for the viral deactivation of contaminated spaces in hospitals, health-care centers, dental offices, sport clubs, hotels and transportation sector, as well as all other places where viral disease outbreaks occur.