Extremely Inexpensive and Simple Method To Remove Indoor Respiratory Aerosols

Reducing aerosol transmission, either by wearing masks or filtering indoor air, has been proven to halt or slow the spread of respiratory diseases including COVID-19. However, due to discomfort, many people would prefer not to wear masks. Air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters or electrostatic precipitators are typically associated with significant costs and require routine maintenance. Here we report for the first time that over 95% of respiratory aerosols are electrically charged. Based on this finding, we designed an inexpensive respiratory aerosol capturer to efficiently remove these charged aerosols in an electric field, powered by a low-cost, high-voltage supply that is widely used in electric fly zappers. This maintenance-free parallel-plate respiratory aerosol capturer outperforms existing air purifiers and costs less than ∼10% of these purifiers. It offers a great tool for combating the spread of respiratory diseases and potentially saving many lives, especially for low-income individuals.