Droplet evaporation residue indicating SARS-COV-2 survivability on surfaces

What is it about?

Droplets formed even with distilled water do not disappear with evaporation but instead shrink to a residue of a few micrometers lasting over 24 h. The residue formation process differs across surfaces and humidity levels.

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Why is it important?

Our study provides the first physical insight and the mechanism underlying the survivability of SARS-COV-2 on different surfaces. Through a careful literature search, we did not find any systematic study of water droplet evaporation on different surfaces (though many studies involved droplets with seeded particles for different applications), nor papers making connection between virus transmission with droplet evaporation. Our work will allow us to predict the types of surfaces that are prone to be contaminated by viruses, and can lead to practical guidelines for disinfecting surfaces and other preventive measures for reducing the loss of our economy and human lives.