Achieving your indoor air quality goals: Which filtration system works best?

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1995 · ASHRAE Journal

OSTI ID:37085

Muller, C O; England, W G ^[1]

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1. Purafil Inc., Doraville, GA (United States)

Protection of the public health has been the driving force behind the myriad laws and regulations enacted to clean up the air in and around cities. However, this concern with ridding the outdoor air of toxic contaminants has often failed to consider exposure to these same, and other, contaminants in indoor environments. In many cases, these indoor exposures may be more harmful than those in the outdoor air. The results of numerous scientific investigations have shown that air inside office buildings and residences is contaminated by a large variety of toxic contaminants, some of which are apparently in sufficient concentrations to adversely affect the health of those exposed. In addition to the recognition of the presence of toxic contaminants and the likelihood of relatively long exposure durations indoors, thee have been numerous reported outbreaks of building-related illnesses (BRI) in office and other public access buildings. There is no doubt that indoor air pollution can cause serious public health problems. One cannot discuss the problem of indoor air pollution without giving some attention to the role that energy conservation measures may play. To date, these efforts in the public sector have been primarily voluntary. However, federal and state facilities have been mandated to reduce their overall energy consumption. Often, this quest to reduce energy costs by tightening buildings and relying on less outside air has been pointed to as the main cause of indoor air quality (IAQ) problems. One solution has been the use of air filtration systems. This mitigation measure can provide results similar to those expected through ventilation: the reduction of airborne contaminant levels. Air filtration can be applied for the reduction of particular matter, gaseous contaminants or both. The use of air filtration systems for controlling gaseous contaminants will be the focus of this article.

• OSTI ID: 37085
• Journal Information: ASHRAE Journal, Vol. 37, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
AIR FILTERS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
AIR QUALITY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
VOLATILE MATTER
FILTRATION
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
FORMALDEHYDE
CHLORINE
NITRIC OXIDE
TOLUENE
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
SULFUR DIOXIDE
ACTIVATED CARBON
POTASSIUM PERMANGANATES
ALUMINIUM OXIDES