Novel coronavirus survives on surfaces with thin films: Study

MUMBAI: A study by the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) states that the novel coronavirus can survive on surfaces and cling to thin liquid films. The study, published in the journal Physics of Fluids, presents an insight about how the virus can sustain for long hours on solid surfaces. It attributed the long survival time of the novel coronavirus on the surface to the slow evaporation of a thin nanometre liquid film remaining after evaporation.

The researchers said that ability to predict the survival of novel coronavirus on different surfaces can help contain the spread of COVID-19. They added that while the generic respiratory droplet evaporates within seconds, SARS-CoV-2 can remain on the surface for hours. They described that as a nanometres-thick liquid film clings to the surface due to London-van der Waals forces, novel coronavirus also survives for hours.

Amit Aggarwal, Professor, IIT-Bombay, said that the model for thin film transport shows that survival or drying time of a thin liquid film on a surface is in hours and days, which is similar to what has been observed in measurements of virus survival. It captures relatively more time on plastic and glass as compared to metal, he added.

As long survival time corresponds to increased spread of infection, it is recommended by researchers to disinfect the frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, hand-held devices, etc.