About this Research Topic
On March 11, the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is a pandemic. With the lives of millions of people worldwide disrupted by this infectious disease outbreak, chemical engineers are joining the rest of the scientific community to respond to the COVID-19 challenges.
Engineers across disciplines are inventing ways to produce critically needed medical supplies. For example, 3D printing is being engaged to cover the ever-increasing need for personal protective gear and other equipment, such as N95 masks, face shields, hands-free door openers, and ventilator components.
Accelerating and scaling up the production of ventilators, health care products, food supplies, antiviral APIs synthesis are all central aspects of the responses provided by chemical engineers. A significant challenge for any vaccine will be the scalability of production to generate sufficient doses
Another aspect concerning environmental engineers is the persistence of coronavirus in the environment and the efficacy of waste and wastewater treatments. Could composting, mesophilic anaerobic digestion and biofilters be the solution?
Modeling and computational methods are being applied to understanding the infectious disease spreading, optimizing the curve, learning from the data to make predictions on the pandemic status and to support decisions on allocating the medical resources for treatment.
This Research Topic aims at highlighting the major chemical engineering solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of manufacturing and logistics of medical supply and persistence of coronavirus in the environment.
We particularly welcome contributions that include, but are not limited to, the following topics:
• manufacturing medical supplies (e.g. face masks, shields, ventilator parts)
• logistics on health care products and food supplies
• modeling/computation on biosystems related to COVID-19 response
• design of medical oxygenators for hospitals (Oxygen Enriched Air)
• design of personal oxygenators for individuals
• analysis, modeling and design of individual protection masks (aerosols, biological contaminants)
• application of 3D printing technologies to mask and individual oxygenators production
• waste and wastewater treatment
• exhaust gases treatment
***Due to the exceptional nature of the COVID-19 situation, Frontiers is waiving all article publishing charges for COVID-19 related research.***
Keywords: COVID-19, chemical engineering, medical supply, 3D printing, wastewater treatment, pharmaceutical production
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
