Airflow and air velocity measurements while playing wind instruments, with respect to risk assessment of a SARS-CoV-2 infection

Spahn, Claudia; Hipp, Anna Maria; Schubert, Bernd; Axt, Marcus Rudolf; Stratmann, Markus; Schmoelder, Christian; Richter, Bernhard

doi:10.1101/2020.12.17.20248234

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…An online preprint suggests mitigation strategies to reduce exposure to aerosols produced by playing musical instruments (Stockman et al 2021). Several preprints of manuscripts under review have explored air flows emanating from musical instruments to suggest appropriate distancing guidelines (Kähler and Hain 2021;Becher et al 2020;Spahn et al 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerosol and droplet generation from performing with woodwind and brass instruments

McCarthy

Orton

Watson

et al. 2021

Aerosol Science and Technology

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The performing arts have been significantly restricted due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. We report measurements of aerosol and droplet concentrations generated when playing woodwind and brass instruments and comparisons with breathing, speaking, and singing. These measurements were conducted in a room with zero number concentration aerosol background in the 0.5-20 μm diameter size range, allowing clear attribution of detected particles to specific activities. A total of 13 instruments were examined across 9 participants. Respirable particle number concentrations and size distributions for playing instruments are consistent with those from the participant when breathing, based on measurements with multiple participants playing the flute and piccolo as well as measurements across the entire cohort. Due to substantial interparticipant variability, we do not provide a comparative assessment of the aerosol generated by playing different instruments, instead considering only the variation in aerosol yield across all instruments studied. Both particle number and mass concentrations from playing instruments are lower than those from speaking and singing at high volume, and no large droplets >20 μm diameter are detected. Combined, these observations suggest that playing instruments generates less aerosol than speaking or singing at high volumes. Moreover, there is no difference between the aerosol concentrations generated by professional and amateur performers while breathing, speaking, or singing, suggesting conclusions for professional singers may also apply to amateurs.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerosol and droplet generation from performing with woodwind and brass instruments

McCarthy

Orton

Watson

et al. 2021

Aerosol Science and Technology

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“…By placing a burning candle at 0.5 m in front of the singer's mouth, it was observed that the flame hardly moved due to only small disturbances of the exhaled air 11,12 . For playing wind instruments, Spahn et al 13 concluded that the air escaping from either the bell, the tone holes, or the mouthpiece of the instruments does not move farther than 1.5 m. For wind instruments, the exhalation of air is similar to singing: the aim is to use as little as possible breathing air to allow the vocal cords (singing), reeds (woodwind), or the lips (brass) to vibrate and stimulate the air column inside the instrument 11…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The spread of breathing air from wind instruments and singers using schlieren techniques

et al. 2021

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The spread of breathing air when playing wind instruments and singing was investigated and visualized using two methods: (1) schlieren imaging with a schlieren mirror and (2) background‐oriented schlieren (BOS). These methods visualize airflow by visualizing density gradients in transparent media. The playing of professional woodwind and brass instrument players, as well as professional classical trained singers were investigated to estimate the spread distances of the breathing air. For a better comparison and consistent measurement series, a single high note, a single low note, and an extract of a musical piece were investigated. Additionally, anemometry was used to determine the velocity of the spreading breathing air and the extent to which it was quantifiable. The results showed that the ejected airflow from the examined instruments and singers did not exceed a spreading range of 1.2 m into the room. However, differences in the various instruments have to be considered to assess properly the spread of the breathing air. The findings discussed below help to estimate the risk of cross‐infection for wind instrument players and singers and to develop efficacious safety precautions, which is essential during critical health periods such as the current COVID‐19 pandemic.

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“…Previous studies measured air velocity and movement emerging from wind instruments using photography, Schlieren optics, sensors in the vicinity of the musician and Particle Image Velocimetry [10,11,12,13,14]. The latter observed airflow up to .5 m from the bell of brass instruments like trumpet, trombone and euphonium.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impulse dispersion of aerosols during playing wind instruments

Gantner

Echternach

Veltrup

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Musical activities especially singing and playing wind instruments have been singled out as potentially high-risk activities for transmission of SARS CoV-2, because of a higher rate of aerosol production and emission. Playing wind instruments can produce condensation water, droplets of saliva, and aerosol particles, which hover and convectional spread in the environmental air and can be potentially infectious.The aim of this study is to investigate the primary impulse dispersion of aerosols during playing different wind instruments in comparison to breathing and speaking. Nine professional musicians (3 trumpeters, 3 cross flutists and 3 clarinetists) of the Bavarian Symphony Orchestra performed the main theme of Ludwig van Beethoven‘s 9th symphony, 4th movement in different pitches and loudness. Thereby, the inhaled air volume was marked with small aerosol particles produced with a commercial e-cigarette. The expelled aerosol cloud was recorded by cameras from different perspectives. Afterwards, the dimensions and dynamics of the aerosol cloud was measured by segmenting the video footage at every time point.Overall, the cross flutes produced the largest dispersion at the end of task of up to maximum distances of 1.88 m in front direction. Thereby it was observed an expulsion of aerosol in different directions: upwards and downwards at the mouthpiece, at the end of the instrument and along the cross flute at the key plane. In comparison, the maximum impulse dispersion generated by the trumpets and clarinets were lower in frontal and lateral direction (1.2 m and 1.0 m in front-direction). The expulsion to the sides was also lower. Consequently, a distance of 3 m to the front and to the sides of 2 m for the cross flutes in an orchestral formation is proposed, for trumpets and clarinets a safety distance of 2 m to the front and 1.5 m between instrumentalists are recommendable.

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Airflow and air velocity measurements while playing wind instruments, with respect to risk assessment of a SARS-CoV-2 infection

Cited by 6 publications

References 13 publications

Aerosol and droplet generation from performing with woodwind and brass instruments

Aerosol and droplet generation from performing with woodwind and brass instruments

The spread of breathing air from wind instruments and singers using schlieren techniques

Impulse dispersion of aerosols during playing wind instruments

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