CALIFORNIA NORTHERN A Novel Home-Built Metrology to Analyze Oral Fluid Droplets and Quantify the Efficacy of Masks

Overview

Every year, 4 million people die from upper respiratory infections. Mask-wearing is crucial in preventing the spread of pathogen-containing droplets, which is the primary cause of these infections. However, most experiments for evaluating mask efficacy are either expensive and complex or inaccurate. In this work, a novel, low-cost, and quantitative apparatus to visualize, track, and analyze orally generated fluid droplets is developed. The project has four stages: setup optimization, data collection, data analysis, and application development. The setup was initially constructed in a dark closet as a proof of concept using common household materials and was subsequently implemented into a portable apparatus. A fluorescence-based technique utilizing tonic water and UV darklight tube lights is used to visualize droplet and aerosol propagation with automated analysis conducted using open-source software. The dependencies of oral fluid droplet generation and propagation on various factors are studied in detail and established using this metrology. Additionally, the droplet size was mathematically correlated to height and airborne time. The setup is sensitive enough to capture droplets as small as a few microns. The efficacy of different types of masks is evaluated and associated with fabric microstructures; it is determined that masks with smaller sized pores and thicker material are most effective. This technique can easily be constructed at home using materials that total to a cost of less than $60, thereby enabling a low-cost and accurate apparatus. Effect of RootPipes on Landfill Gas Emissions Kennesha Garg American High School, Fremont, CA With climate change’s increasing impacts, we must reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, specifically methane, to lower the intensity of cascading disasters. In 2019, landfills contributed to 15% of the total methane emissions in the US. In landfills, the absence of oxygen causes the anaerobic decomposition of waste, leading to a significant formation of methane. Inefficient extraction systems in current landfills cause 46% of this methane to release into the atmosphere. T o create a more sustainable landfill system, RootPipes were developed: they take inspiration from the shape of mangrove roots and reach remote locations of the landfill to optimize gas collection. A 3D-printed prototype of RootPipes was designed and tested by simulating two landfill environments—RootPipe and current landfills. Compostable waste was added into both landfills, which were sealed to promote anaerobic decomposition; the gasses formed were able to exit the compost area through the pipes into a designated empty area. After 5 months of data collection, the pressure of the gasses accumulated was greater for RootPipes than current landfills, indicating that RootPipes could transfer more gasses to the empty area. The temperature of the current landfill was higher, so more methane was trapped in the compost. Overall, RootPipes collected 78% more gasses than the current landfill system. This translates to 91% collection and 9% emissions when scaled to large-scale landfills. Due to thorough extraction, more gasses can be converted to renewable energy, gathering more revenue and removing reliability from fossil fuels.

Competition history

• JSHS 2023 Category not listed

Resources

• National JSHS abstract book ↗

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