Figure 3.

Schematic of test system to evaluate losses of viral infectivity associated with the aerosol nozzle. To isolate losses during aerosol generation, the output of the nozzle used for aerosol generation was collected directly into an impinger containing ten mL of collection medium. For testing with virus, the collection medium was gMEM without FBS. Aerosol was generated for 45 s for each test. Airflow through the nozzle during the test resulted in evaporation of <10% of the collection medium in the impinger. Initial testing using a fluorescent tracer demonstrated complete recovery of material sprayed into the collection medium, with an average recovery of 101.0 ± 2.5% using PBS as a collection medium.