| Title: | The selective detection of individual respiratory droplets in air |
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| Authors: | ID Malok, Matjaž, Institut "Jožef Stefan" (Author)
ID Kavšek, Darko, Institut "Jožef Stefan" (Author)
ID Remškar, Maja, Institut "Jožef Stefan" (Author) |
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| Files: |  URL - Source URL, visit https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssensors.5c02057
 PDF - Presentation file, download (3,33 MB)
MD5: A55BEE912838ABE102670AAC6E14F3D7
Description: The data that support the findings of this study are available within the article, its Supporting Information file, and in Zenodo, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15489441.
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| Language: | English |
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| Typology: | 1.01 - Original Scientific Article |
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| Organization: |  IJS - Jožef Stefan Institute
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| Abstract: | 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 PM2.5 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. |
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| Keywords: | respiratory droplets, capacitive sensing, indor air monitoring, infection control |
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| Publication status: | Published |
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| Publication version: | Version of Record |
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| Submitted for review: | 12.06.2025 |
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| Article acceptance date: | 10.12.2025 |
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| Publication date: | 16.12.2025 |
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| Publisher: | American Chemical Society |
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| Year of publishing: | 2025 |
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| Number of pages: | str. A-H |
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| Numbering: | Vol. , iss. |
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| Source: | ZDA |
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| PID: | 20.500.12556/DiRROS-25083  |
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| UDC: | 53 |
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| ISSN on article: | 2379-3694 |
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| DOI: | 10.1021/acssensors.5c02057 |
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| COBISS.SI-ID: | 263994627 |
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| Copyright: | © 2025 The Authors. |
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| Note: | Nasl. z nasl. zaslona;
Opis vira z dne 8. 1. 2026;
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| Publication date in DiRROS: | 09.01.2026 |
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| Views: | 66 |
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| Downloads: | 26 |
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