Study on the effectiveness of an air treatment tool that combines filtration and photocatalysis

Abstract

The microbiological quality of air in working environments is a very current topic. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a machine equipped with EPA filters and photocatalytic activity. This type of treatment combines a physical action with a chemical activity. The latter occurs thanks to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), responsible for a marked bactericidal activity. The search for new sanitization techniques pushes companies to invest to improve the quality of work of their employees. Many tools are sold on the market, but it is important to check their actual effectiveness. Monitoring the activity of air treatments is always very complex, due to the variability and heterogeneity of airborne microorganisms. This study was conducted in a typical working environment, to better simulate normal conditions of use. To avoid potentially pathogenic contamination, microorganisms typically recountable in the air matrix were not used, but the species of bacteria Lactococcus lactis was used. These microorganisms are also naturally present in the outdoor environment and represent a population of bacteria that could potentially cause indoor air pollution. The results confirm the effectiveness of this type of treatment. It was not possible to determine the impact of the catalytic feature installed.