Evaluation of an Air Cleaning Device Equipped with Filtration and UV: Comparison of Removal Efficiency on Particulate Matter and Viable Airborne Bacteria in the Inlet and Treated Air

Peiyang Li, Jacek A. Koziel (), Nubia Macedo, Jeffrey J. Zimmerman, Danielle Wrzesinski, Erin Sobotka, Mateo Balderas, William B. Walz, Reid Vincent Paris, Myeongseong Lee, Dongjie Liu, Bauyrzhan Yedilbayev, Brett C. Ramirez and William S. Jenks
Additional contact information
Peiyang Li: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Jacek A. Koziel: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Nubia Macedo: Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Jeffrey J. Zimmerman: Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Danielle Wrzesinski: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Erin Sobotka: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Mateo Balderas: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
William B. Walz: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Reid Vincent Paris: Department of Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Myeongseong Lee: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Dongjie Liu: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Bauyrzhan Yedilbayev: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Brett C. Ramirez: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
William S. Jenks: Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-23

Abstract: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, improving indoor air quality (IAQ) has become vital for the public as COVID-19 and other infectious diseases can transmit via inhalable aerosols. Air cleaning devices with filtration and targeted pollutant treatment capabilities can help improve IAQ. However, only a few filtration/UV devices have been formally tested for their effectiveness, and little data is publicly available and UV doses comparable. In this research, we upgraded a particulate matter (PM) air filtration prototype by adding UV-C (germicidal) light. We developed realistic UV dose metrics for fast-moving air and selected performance scenarios to quantify the mitigation effect on viable airborne bacteria and PM. The targeted PM included total suspended particulate (TSP) and a coarse-to-fine range sized at PM 10 , PM 4 , PM 2.5 , and PM 1 . The PM and viable airborne bacteria concentrations were compared between the inlet and outlet of the prototype at 0.5 and 1.0 m 3 /s (low and high) air flow modes. The upgraded prototype inactivated nearly 100% of viable airborne bacteria and removed up to 97% of TSP, 91% of PM 10 , 87% of PM 4 , 87% of PM 2.5 , and 88% of PM 1 . The performance in the low flow rate mode was generally better than in the high flow rate mode. The combination of filtration and UV-C treatment provided ‘double-barrier’ assurance for air purification and lowered the risk of spreading infectious micro-organisms.

Keywords: indoor air quality; biosecurity; ultraviolet light; UVGI; UV254; UV disinfection; disease control; occupational health; air pollution control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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