Abstract
BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is a health emergency for occupational healthcare workers at COVID-19 hospital wards in Italy. The objective of the study was to investigate the bioreactor's effectivity in monitoring and improving air quality via detection, capture, and destruction of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and bacterial pathogens, reducing the risk of transmission among healthcare workers. METHODS: Bioreactors are a demonstrated effective biomonitoring system. We implemented a methodological approach wherein they were placed at various hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Italy. The detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was achieved through rapid biomonitoring testing of the solutes from the AIRcel bioreactors via SARS-CoV-2 rapid test antigen and consecutive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis with the multiplex platform (XABT) and the real-time PCR rotor-gene. RESULTS: The marked presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was found in multiple water samples via the detection of ORF1ab + N and/or E gene involved in gene expression and cellular signaling of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The AIRcel bioreactors were able to neutralize the virus and bacterial pathogens effectively as traces of the viruses and bacteria were no longer found in multiple solute samples after an overnight period. CONCLUSIONS: Transmission of COVID-19 via bioaerosols, transmitted by infected patients, remains a viable threat for health workers. AIRcel bioreactors allow for rapid biomonitoring testing for early virus detection within the environment, reducing the risk of exponential contagion exposure and maintaining good air quality without endangering health workers. This same protocol can also be extended to public spaces as a bio-monitoring hotspot tool for early detection.