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Aerosol emissions from wind instruments: effects of performer age, sex, sound pressure level, and bell covers

Abstract: Aerosol emissions from wind instruments are a suspected route of transmission for airborne infectious diseases, such as SARS-CoV-2. We evaluated aerosol number emissions (from 0.25 to 35.15 μm) from 81 volunteer performers of both sexes and varied age (12 to 63 years) whileplaying wind instruments (bassoon, clarinet, flute, French horn, oboe, piccolo, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, and tuba) or singing. Measured emissions spanned more than two orders of magnitude, ranging in rate from < 8 to 1,815 particles s−1, with brass instruments, on average, producing 191% (95% CI 81–367%) more aerosol than woodwinds. Being male was associated with a 70% increase in emissions (vs. female; 95% CI 9–166%). Each 1 dBA increase in sound pressure level was associated with a 28% increase (95% CI 10–40%) in emissions from brass instruments; sound pressure level was not associated with woodwind emissions. Age was not a significant predictor of emissions. The use of bell covers reduced aerosol emissions from three brass instruments tested (trombone, tuba, and trumpet), with average reductions ranging from 53 to 73%, but not for the two woodwind instruments tested (oboe and clarinet). Results from this work can facilitate infectious disease risk management for the performing arts.

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Thank god that mystery is solved. Now get back to work on Rain Forest's, Crime, Pollution, Poverty, Hunger, Human Trafficking, Terrorism, Sustainable Energy Sources, my 401k, Corrupt Stock Market, Political Divide, Obesity, Cancer, War, Baldness, Affordable Health Care, Fair Housing, General Worldwide Equality and Bring back rock and roll to the LA Radio market.

Which instrument should have the highest carbon tax?

Ah yes, bc the same scientists performing this study surely also have the expertise and education related to that vast range of topics. Solid take

Is this taking into account when mfers just open their spit valve and spray randomly on the floor?

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The ones the Rich are buying.

Ah that’s what I like a class war. It’s all the rich people’s fault.

File this under "academic science, where they charge you a fine after publishing it"

The spit valves should’ve been the first clue

I’ve noticed this take over the years, but it’s getting more prominent despite a very simple answer as to why it’s foolish. Actually it seems to rear it’s head anytime there’s a complex problem that doesn’t seem to be getting solved quick enough: person or team works hard to develop something that helps improve literally anything that’s an aside from what the listener cares about, let’s say a machine that passes butter. “Why’d you waste time on that garbage, you could have been fixing global warming!”. “Sir, I have zero education or experience in that science, I just know how to make small electronic devices that are fun, and thought perhaps they could pass the butter instead of me…”

So, the brass horns need to mask up then...got it. New designs incoming! Haha.

Class war started in the 70's. Working class been losing it for a while. Where you been?

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If I'm reading this right, playing in a brass band spreads lurgy.

Wasn't on my bingo card for this decade but probably should have been.

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Yeah. Class war started in the 70s. I guess that’s as far as your history book went back.

What's great is how little to the conversation you just added. No substance. No facts. Just a mediocre comment.

Is there a certain time period we need to take this conversation to? A comment was made, and you've added no substance to keep this conversation going. Are you wanting to go to the gilded age? Feudalism? Serfdom?

However I'll stick to my original statement. 70's is when the current iteration of class wars really took off.

So a pretty clear flaw in this study is they placed their collection apparatus directly in front of the instrument bell. This is fine for brass instruments, but for woodwinds a large amount of the sound (and therefore air) comes out of the keys. This is not accounted for or addressed in the study, as far as I read. This also explains why bell covers were effective with brass instruments but not for woodwinds.

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Must say the results seem very unsurprising.

70s? What senventies? The 2070s before christ?

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