Real-World Effectiveness of Portable Air Cleaners in Reducing Home Particulate Matter Concentrations
Abstract Portable air cleaners (PACs) equipped with HEPA filters are gaining attention as cost-effective means of decreasing indoor particulate matter (PM) air pollutants and airborne viruses. However, the performance of PACs in naturalistic settings and spaces beyond the room containing the PAC is...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.230202 |
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| author | Frederic T. Lu Robert J. Laumbach Alicia Legard Nirmala T. Myers Kathleen G. Black Pamela Ohman-Strickland Shahnaz Alimokhtari Adriana de Resende Leonardo Calderón Gediminas Mainelis Howard M. Kipen |
| author_facet | Frederic T. Lu Robert J. Laumbach Alicia Legard Nirmala T. Myers Kathleen G. Black Pamela Ohman-Strickland Shahnaz Alimokhtari Adriana de Resende Leonardo Calderón Gediminas Mainelis Howard M. Kipen |
| author_sort | Frederic T. Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Portable air cleaners (PACs) equipped with HEPA filters are gaining attention as cost-effective means of decreasing indoor particulate matter (PM) air pollutants and airborne viruses. However, the performance of PACs in naturalistic settings and spaces beyond the room containing the PAC is not well characterized. We conducted a single-blinded randomized cross-over interventional study between November 2020 and May 2021 in the homes of adults who tested positive for COVID-19. The intervention was air filtration with PAC operated with the HEPA filter set installed (“filter” condition) versus removed (“sham” condition, i.e., control). Sampling was performed in 29 homes for two consecutive 24-hour periods in the primary room (containing the PAC) and a secondary room. PAC effectiveness, calculated as reductions in overall mean PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations during the filter condition, were for the primary rooms 78.8% and 63.9% (n = 23), respectively, and for the secondary rooms 57.9% and 60.4% (n = 22), respectively. When a central air handler (CAH) was reported to be in use, filter-associated reductions of PM were statistically significant during the day (06:00–22:00) and night (22:01–05:59) in the primary rooms but only during the day in the secondary rooms. Our study adds to the literature evaluating the real-world effects of PACs on a secondary room and considering the impact of central air systems on PAC performance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-94015340bfcc4fcbb698d604ed48f7b4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-8584 2071-1409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-94015340bfcc4fcbb698d604ed48f7b42025-02-09T12:24:09ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092023-11-0124111910.4209/aaqr.230202Real-World Effectiveness of Portable Air Cleaners in Reducing Home Particulate Matter ConcentrationsFrederic T. Lu0Robert J. Laumbach1Alicia Legard2Nirmala T. Myers3Kathleen G. Black4Pamela Ohman-Strickland5Shahnaz Alimokhtari6Adriana de Resende7Leonardo Calderón8Gediminas Mainelis9Howard M. Kipen10Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityEnvironmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers UniversityAbstract Portable air cleaners (PACs) equipped with HEPA filters are gaining attention as cost-effective means of decreasing indoor particulate matter (PM) air pollutants and airborne viruses. However, the performance of PACs in naturalistic settings and spaces beyond the room containing the PAC is not well characterized. We conducted a single-blinded randomized cross-over interventional study between November 2020 and May 2021 in the homes of adults who tested positive for COVID-19. The intervention was air filtration with PAC operated with the HEPA filter set installed (“filter” condition) versus removed (“sham” condition, i.e., control). Sampling was performed in 29 homes for two consecutive 24-hour periods in the primary room (containing the PAC) and a secondary room. PAC effectiveness, calculated as reductions in overall mean PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations during the filter condition, were for the primary rooms 78.8% and 63.9% (n = 23), respectively, and for the secondary rooms 57.9% and 60.4% (n = 22), respectively. When a central air handler (CAH) was reported to be in use, filter-associated reductions of PM were statistically significant during the day (06:00–22:00) and night (22:01–05:59) in the primary rooms but only during the day in the secondary rooms. Our study adds to the literature evaluating the real-world effects of PACs on a secondary room and considering the impact of central air systems on PAC performance.https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.230202Particulate matterPortable air cleanerFiltration effectivenessIndoor airNaturalistic study |
| spellingShingle | Frederic T. Lu Robert J. Laumbach Alicia Legard Nirmala T. Myers Kathleen G. Black Pamela Ohman-Strickland Shahnaz Alimokhtari Adriana de Resende Leonardo Calderón Gediminas Mainelis Howard M. Kipen Real-World Effectiveness of Portable Air Cleaners in Reducing Home Particulate Matter Concentrations Aerosol and Air Quality Research Particulate matter Portable air cleaner Filtration effectiveness Indoor air Naturalistic study |
| title | Real-World Effectiveness of Portable Air Cleaners in Reducing Home Particulate Matter Concentrations |
| title_full | Real-World Effectiveness of Portable Air Cleaners in Reducing Home Particulate Matter Concentrations |
| title_fullStr | Real-World Effectiveness of Portable Air Cleaners in Reducing Home Particulate Matter Concentrations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Real-World Effectiveness of Portable Air Cleaners in Reducing Home Particulate Matter Concentrations |
| title_short | Real-World Effectiveness of Portable Air Cleaners in Reducing Home Particulate Matter Concentrations |
| title_sort | real world effectiveness of portable air cleaners in reducing home particulate matter concentrations |
| topic | Particulate matter Portable air cleaner Filtration effectiveness Indoor air Naturalistic study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.230202 |
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