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.

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 PM10, PM4, PM2.5, and PM1. The PM and viable airborne bacteria concentrations were compared between the inlet and outlet of the prototype at 0.5 and 1.0 m3/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 PM10, 87% of PM4, 87% of PM2.5, and 88% of PM1. 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.

Continuous air cleaning by filtration and UV-C treatment of airborne pathogens and particulate matter in indoor spaces

Since COVID-19 became a global pandemic, improving air quality has been increasingly important to mitigate the transmission of pathogenic aerosols. Air filters such as MERV filters have been widely used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to clean inlet air. In recent years, ultraviolet (UV) light has been used for decontamination and disinfection in various applications, including indoor air cleaning, e.g., upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI). There are a variety of air purification devices available in the market, with some incorporating UV technology. However, many of them are not formally tested and certified for their effectiveness in mitigating airborne pathogens and particulate matter. The research's objectives are to (1) evaluate, design, and upgrade an existing air filtration device (~2,200 CFM) with the addition of UV-C lamps;(2) test the effectiveness of the upgraded device in mitigating airborne pathogens (bacteria) and particulate matter (PM) in real scenario (poultry farm). The testing results of air quality are expressed in particular matter (PM) levels and colony-forming units (CFUs). The preliminary data showed that both MERV-8 & MERV 13 and UV-C lamps can inactivate up to 100% of airborne bacteria, and the device can remove over 95% of total PM after treatment in a ~150-layer room. © 2022 ASABE. All Rights Reserved.

Effects of UV-C Disinfection on N95 and KN95 Filtering Facepiece Respirator Reuse.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of UV technology for virus disinfection to allow FFR reuse. UV is a proven decontamination tool for microbial pathogens, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Research findings suggest that the impacts of UV-C treatment on FFR material degradation should be confirmed using microbial surrogates in addition to the commonly performed abiotic particle testing. This study used the surrogates, E. coli and MS-2 bacteriophage, as they bracket the UV response of SARS-CoV-2. Lower log inactivation was observed on FFRs than predicted by aqueous-based UV dose-response data for MS-2 bacteriophage and E. coli. In addition, the dose-response curves did not follow the trends commonly observed with aqueous data for E. coli and MS-2. The dose-response curves for the respirators in this study had a semicircle shape, where the inactivation reached a peak and then decreased. This decrease in UV inactivation is thought to be due to the degradation of the fibers of the FFR and allows for more viral and bacterial cells to wash through the layers of the respirator. This degradation phenomenon was observed at UV doses at and above 2,000 mJ/cm2. Results have demonstrated that FFR materials yield various results in terms of effective disinfection in experiments conducted on KN95 and N95 face respirators. The highest inactivation for both surrogates was observed with the KN95 respirator made by Purism, yielding 3 and 2.75 log inactivation for E. coli and MS-2 at UV doses of 1,500 mJ/cm2. The KN95 made by Anboruo yielded the lowest inactivation for MS-2 at 0.75 log when exposed to 1,000 mJ/cm2. To further test the degradation theory, experiments used a collimated beam device to test the hypothesis further that degradation is occurring at and above UV doses of 1,500 mJ/cm2. The experiment aimed to determine the effect of "predosing" a respirator with UV before inoculating the respirator with MS-2. In this test, quantification of the penetrated irradiance value and the ability of each layer to retain MS-2 were quantified. The results of the experiments varied from the intact FFR degradation experiments but displayed some data to support the degradation theory. IMPORTANCE Research suggests degradation of FFR materials at high UV doses is important. There appears to be a peak inactivation dose at approximately 1,500 mJ/cm2. The subsequent dose increases appear to have the reverse effect on inactivation values; these trends have shown true with both the N95 and KN95-Purism respirators.