| NSF Org: |
CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | April 29, 2020 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | March 21, 2022 |
| Award Number: | 2027306 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Mamadou Diallo
CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems ENG Directorate for Engineering |
| Start Date: | May 1, 2020 |
| End Date: | April 30, 2023 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $172,088.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $172,088.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
160 ALDRICH HALL IRVINE CA US 92697-0001 (949)824-7295 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
844E Engineering Irvine CA US 92697-2175 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | COVID-19 Research |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.041 |
ABSTRACT
The global COVID-19 pandemic caused by the virus SARS-CoV2 has caused considerable human health and economic impacts because of its rapid spread and high fatality rate. Examining the trend of COVID-19 data suggests other routes of transmission beyond direct person-to-person transmission are likely. Recent reports show that aerosols containing SARS-CoV2 could still infect an individual for up to 3 hours later, and plastic surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV2 can remain infective for up to 3 days. Trace evidence of the virus was recovered from Diamond Princess cruise ship cabins up to 17 days after the passengers left. The goal of this project is to understand COVID-19 transmission through virus-contaminated respiratory droplets, fine solid or liquid particles in air, and contact with virus-contaminated surfaces. This study will model human behaviors effecting disease transmission, the properties of the virus, and environmental factors that may affect disease transmission to predict infection risk. If successful, this project will help describe transmission patterns of SARS-CoV2 and provide new ways to slow or halt the spread of this disease in the US.
The goal of this project is to identify the infection risk of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2 through different exposure routes in order to prioritize measures for public health protection. The specific objectives of this work are to: 1) model the spread of SARS-CoV2 through droplets and aerosols from coughing/sneezing and through aerosols generated from toilet flushing under different environmental conditions; 2) develop exposure models through inhalation of droplets and aerosols to determine the dose of single and repeated exposure; and 3) model repeated exposure through contact with contaminated surfaces and hands-to-face transmission. The models will incorporate mechanistic understanding of aerosol generation, transport, and fate under different conditions, as well as data fitting to predict aerosol size and concentration under different test scenarios. SARS-CoV2 viral shedding rate from patients and its persistence in different environmental media will be used to model the viral load through aerosol and contact exposure. Human physiology and habits will be coupled with viral attack rates to quantify the risk using a Monte Carlo probability simulator. The sensitivity analysis will also identify data gaps for rapid data collection in collaboration with teams of researchers from different disciplines. The results of this project will contribute to the understanding of global spread of infectious disease beyond short and long-term remediation strategies on COVID-19.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The primary aim of this project is to investigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide critical support for public health decision-making in order to mitigate its transmission. In pursuit of this objective, we have developed advanced techniques for the molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 viruses and subsequently applied these methodologies to quantify viral loads in human wastewater samples obtained from various wastewater across Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties.
Our study encompassed the testing of wastewater from diverse sources, including centralized wastewater treatment facilities, septic tanks for public bathrooms, and wastewater collected from sewer manholes on the University of California, Irvine campus, which serviced student dormitories. Notably, we observed a strong correlation between the viral surveillance results in wastewater and the reported COVID-19 case statistics at the county level. However, the wastewater viral data from different sub-communities were highly variable, underscoring the potential for wastewater surveillance to provide valuable insights into disease transmission on a more localized level.
Leveraging the viral load data acquired, in conjunction with human exposure scenarios and dose-response models from the existing literature, we conducted a rigorous quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). This QMRA enabled us to estimate the probability of COVID-19 infection arising from exposure to aerosols generated during toilet flushing or as a result of faulty sewer pipes in multi-unit apartment buildings. Encouragingly, the QMRA results consistently indicated a low likelihood of infection, significantly enhancing our comprehension of COVID-19 transmission dynamics in public settings.
The outcomes of this research contribute to our ongoing efforts to curtail the pandemic's impact and safeguard public health.
Last Modified: 10/20/2023
Modified by: Sunny Jiang
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