[rhinegold (OP)]

I have read today an article this morning an article in the German Zeit newspaper which suggests:

"That a currently operating mobile Hepa Filter, with Plasma Output stage is able to destroy any Corona virus passing through it's field." 

Can you confirm the claim, that a plasma field operating at (1500 V), can have the claimed properties?

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I currently have no permission to translate the document, but I will do so once a permission has been granted to me.

[Bored chemist]

Plamas in air emit ultraviolet light. And that will destroy viruses- given time.
Whether or not this particular set-up works would depend on viral load, exposure time etc.

[rhinegold (OP)]

Thank You.

Let's suppose somebody came into your lab tomorrow morning and said,
please device a method to quantify that all viruses have been eliminated
by the proposed  plasma field.

What would you do ?

[Bored chemist]

Thank You.

Let's suppose somebody came into your lab tomorrow morning and said,
please device a method to quantify that all viruses have been eliminated
by the proposed  plasma field.

What would you do ?

I'd see if I could find a research report from a lab doing something similar.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284192611_Comparison_of_Multiple_Systems_for_Laboratory_Whole_Room_Fumigation

[rhinegold (OP)]

Firstly, thank you so much for your further contribution and the lab link.

Having once more carefully read the German report in the Zeit newspaper, I feel that the statement in respect of mitigating qualities of the "Plasma fields" in the treatment of corona virus, might have been guided more by wishfull thinking, rather than pure scientific analysis.


In any case thank you for your kind contribution.

[alancalverd]

If the field gradient is sufficient you may be able to disrupt the mechanical structure of a virus or at least precipitate out any particulate material that has escaped the HEPA filter even if the plasma itself does little damage by ionisation, UV disruption, or ozonificatoin. If in doubt, chuck lots of volts at it.

[evan_au]

The linked abstract from BC suggested that the vaccinia virus they tested was more susceptible than the bacteria they tested
- Perhaps because the virus has a thinner shell, which provides less shielding to the viral genetic material?
- An RNA virus like Coronavirus has no template on which to base a repair (unlike vaccinia, which is a DNA virus)
- Also, live DNA-based bacteria can maintain and repair their DNA during exposure, but a virus is inert and will accumulate damage until it reaches a susceptible cell

UV disruption, or ozonification

Ozone attacks biological materials, but it hangs around in the air, and attacks human lungs.
There are suggestions that modern UV LEDs may be able to produce a useful intensity of UV light, which could be contained within an airconditioning system (but it will probably break down any exposed plastics, over time)

Even if a system reduced the infective viral count in the air by a factor of 2, that would be a significant reduction in virus transmission.
- Systems like this are readily available - a typical surgical mask halves the amount of virus
- Or you could follow the WHO advice, and open the window, to achieve dilution into the open air (where sunlight will eventually take care of it)