The selective detection of individual respiratory droplets in air

Malok, Matjaž (avtor), Kavšek, Darko (avtor), Remškar, Maja (avtor)

Preventing the spread of airborne diseases in crowded indoor spaces is a global challenge. Infected individuals release virus-laden respiratory droplets (RDs) that can remain suspended in air and infectious for hours. Current monitoring methods cannot distinguish these droplets from airborne particulate matter (PM) in a real time. Here, we present a capacitive sensor that selectively detects and counts the individual droplets in indoor spaces, regardless the presence of PM. The device exploits the dielectric constant (ε) of water (78.2) to differentiate the droplets from solid PM particles (ε < 15). In a nonventilated conference-room study, RDs concentrations (40–330 RDs/L) were found to be correlated with human occupancy, but not with PM$_{2.5}$ levels. The developed technology enables a real-time monitoring of number concentration of RDs, which represent a potential health risk when they carry viral or bacterial infections. The detected increase in RD concentration can serve as a trigger for data-driven ventilation and infection-prevention measures, providing an effective tool for mitigating the spread of respiratory diseases in hospitals, schools and other public spaces.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: respiratory droplets, capacitive sensing, indor air monitoring, infection control, airborne transmission, atmospheric chemistry, electrical properties, infectious diseases, liquids, nanoparticles
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FMF - Fakulteta za matematiko in fiziko
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2026
• Št. strani: Str. 55–62
• Številčenje: Vol. 11, iss. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-178331
• UDK: 53
• ISSN pri članku: 2379-3694
• DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.5c02057
• COBISS.SI-ID: 263994627
• Datum objave v RUL: 23.01.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: ACS sensors
• Založnik: American Chemical Society
• ISSN: 2379-3694
• COBISS.SI-ID: 526244889

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: kapljice izdihanega zraka, zrak v zaprtih prostorih, monitoring zraka, nadzor okužb, aerogene okužbe, detektorji