In this one image (@LakeyPascale et al) we can learn a lot about how to manage airborne pathogens: mask up, filter, and ventilate...

But also heed a cautionary tale about the known (and yet unknown) hazards of using chemical reactions to "clean" our indoor air. 🧵1/ How long and how far do gas molecules and airborne particles travel through indoor air?

It depends on the fundamentals of physics and chemistry, combined with the complexity of buildings. Let's explore a bit... 2/

Inspo from this very nice paper:
nature.com/articles/s4200…

1/ After many questions, it’s time to clear the air on HOCl foggers, used in many dentist’s offices. @jljcolorado, @chemdelphine and I thought we’d go thru its chemistry. Bottom line from 3 Chem Profs: Use ventilation and filters to clean the air, skip the chemistry! 2/ HOCl is an oxidant that’s effective at killing pathogens, likely by denaturing proteins or damaging cell walls, bc it reacts w/ C=C bonds in many biomolecules. But HOCl can also react with YOUR biomolecules (lung, skin), material surfaces, and the molecules that make up air.