“Keimfreies Fliegen”: An Interdisciplinary Approach for Microbial Safeguarding of the Airplane Cabin Using Novel Antimicrobial Materials

Abstract

Airplane cabins are vectors for the potential transmission of infectious disease, as microorganisms can thrive on frequently touched surfaces, creating hot-spots for microbial transmission among passengers during flights [1-4]. To address this concern, the “Keimfreies Fliegen” project (or “Germ-Free Flying” in English) brings together experts in microbiology, material science, engineering and flight experimentation from different institutes of the German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.). The project develops multi-layered solutions to ensure a safe microbial presence in airplane cabins by integrating novel antimicrobial materials into aircraft surfaces to significantly reduce microbial load and thereby reduce the overall infection risk. The co-developed materials consist of nanoparticles with proven antimicrobial properties (e.g., ZnO, CuO, Ag, and chitosan) incorporated into biopolymers (Furolite-C, transfuran chemicals) used for interior cabin surfaces. Laboratory testing with safe-to-use microorganisms were conducted to assess the antimicrobial potential of these novel surface materials. Moreover, the project developed the AeroSMART material testing device which allows inflight testing of novel antimicrobial materials under real airplane cabin conditions. The project then integrates microbial and surface test-data into virtual reality simulations, allowing visualization of contamination hot-spots and tracking the effectiveness of integrated antimicrobial approaches in reducing microbial load. Furthermore, we explore different cabin seating concepts by incorporating the novel antimicrobial surfaces in key-contamination areas. Ultimately, the “Keimfreies Fliegen” project provides valuable insights into combined strategies to reduce microbial load within airplane cabins, by leveraging the expertise of diverse disciplines, marking a significant step towards achieving safer air travel experience for passengers worldwide. References [1] H. Weiss, V.S. Hertzberg, C. Dupont et al., Microbial Ecology, 2018, Vol. 77, 87–95. [2] A. T. Pavia, Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2007, Vol. 195, 621-622. [3] M. T. La Duc, T. Stuecker, K. Venkateswaran, Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 2007, Vol. 53, 1259-1271. [4] K. Leitmeyer, C. Adlhoch, Epidemiology, 2016, Vol. 27, 743-751.