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Albertini R, Colucci ME, Viani I, Capobianco E, Serpentino M, Coluccia A, Mohieldin Mahgoub Ibrahim M, Zoni R, Affanni P, Veronesi L, Pasquarella C. Study on the Effectiveness of a Copper Electrostatic Filtration System "Aerok 1.0" for Air Disinfection. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:1200. [PMID: 39338083 PMCID: PMC11431324 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21091200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2024] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bioaerosols can represent a danger to health. During SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, portable devices were used in different environments and considered a valuable prevention tool. This study has evaluated the effectiveness of the air treatment device "AEROK 1.0®" in reducing microbial, particulate, and pollen airborne contamination indoors, during normal activity. METHODS In an administrative room, airborne microbial contamination was measured using active (DUOSAS 360 and MD8) and passive sampling; a particle counter was used to evaluate particle concentrations; a Hirst-type pollen trap was used to assess airborne pollen and Alternaria spores. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0; p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS The airborne bacterial contamination assessed by the two different samplers decreased by 56% and 69%, respectively. The airborne bacterial contamination assessed by passive sampling decreased by 44%. For fungi, the reduction was 39% by active sampling. Airborne particles (diameters ≥ 1.0, 2.0 μm) and the ratio of indoor/outdoor concentrations of total pollen and Alternaria spp. spores significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS The results highlight the effectiveness of AEROK 1.0® in reducing airborne contamination. The approach carried out represents a contribution to the definition of a standardized model for evaluating the effectiveness of devices to be used for air disinfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Albertini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
- Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department, University Hospital-Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Maria Eugenia Colucci
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Isabella Viani
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Emanuela Capobianco
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Michele Serpentino
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Alessia Coluccia
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | | | - Roberta Zoni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Paola Affanni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Licia Veronesi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Cesira Pasquarella
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
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Shen L, Liu W, Lu Y, Fang C, Zhang S. Superoleophilic conjugated microporous polymer nano-surfactants for realizing unprecedented fast recovery of volatile organic compounds. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2023; 10:4562-4570. [PMID: 37565567 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh00798g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
A pervaporation membrane with fast and selective permeation is key to improving the recovery efficiency of volatile organic compounds from water. Here, we synthesize a new type of nanofiller-conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) to fabricate polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and explore their application in the recovery of organic solvents from water via pervaporation. Due to their good dispersibility in the dope solvent and compatibility with PDMS, uniform MMMs without discrete particle phases or aggregates are prepared. Interestingly, CMP nanosheets play a unique role as a nano-surfactant in enhancing both the sorption and diffusion coefficients, realizing unprecedented fast recovery of organic solvents from water. The total flux of the as-fabricated membranes can be enhanced from 74.8 to 406.2 kg μm-2 h-1 and the separation factor αethyl acetate/water is increased from 118.7 to 526.6 when using 5 wt% ethyl acetate aqueous solution as the feed at 50 °C. In addition, the CMP-incorporated PDMS membranes are also effective in recovering a wide range of organic compounds from water, including ethanol, acetone, tetrahydrofuran and acetonitrile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Shen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117576, Singapore.
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Frontiers Science Center for Mobile Information Communication and Security, Quantum Information Research Center, School of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
- Purple Mountain Laboratories, Nanjing, 211111, China
| | - Yanqiu Lu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117576, Singapore.
| | - Chenyi Fang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117576, Singapore.
| | - Sui Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117576, Singapore.
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Kuspanov Z, Baglan B, Baimenov A, Issadykov A, Yeleuov M, Daulbayev C. Photocatalysts for a sustainable future: Innovations in large-scale environmental and energy applications. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 885:163914. [PMID: 37149164 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The growing environmental and energy crises have prompted researchers to seek new solutions, including large-scale photocatalytic environmental remediation and the production of solar hydrogen using photocatalytic materials. To achieve this goal, scientists have developed numerous photocatalysts with high efficiency and stability. However, the large-scale application of photocatalytic systems under real-world conditions is still limited. These limitations arise at every step, including the large-scale synthesis and deposition of photocatalyst particles on a solid support, and the development of an optimal design with high mass transfer and efficient photon absorption. The purpose of this article is to provide a detailed description of the primary challenges and potential solutions encountered in scaling up photocatalytic systems for use in large-scale water and air purification and solar hydrogen production. Additionally, based on a review of current pilot developments, we draw conclusions and make comparisons regarding the main operating parameters that affect performance, as well as propose strategies for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengisbek Kuspanov
- Satbayev University, 050013 Almaty, Kazakhstan; Institute of Nuclear Physics, 050032 Almaty, Kazakhstan; Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 141980 Dubna, Russian Federation
| | - Bakbolat Baglan
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, 050032 Almaty, Kazakhstan; Al Farabi Kazakh National University, 050040 Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Alzhan Baimenov
- Al Farabi Kazakh National University, 050040 Almaty, Kazakhstan; National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 010000 Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Aidos Issadykov
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, 050032 Almaty, Kazakhstan; National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 010000 Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Mukhtar Yeleuov
- Satbayev University, 050013 Almaty, Kazakhstan; Institute of Nuclear Physics, 050032 Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Chingis Daulbayev
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, 050032 Almaty, Kazakhstan; National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 010000 Astana, Kazakhstan.
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Study on photocatalytic properties of magnetically separated defective TNTs nanocomposites. INORG CHEM COMMUN 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.inoche.2022.110379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Ahmadzadeh M, Shams M. A numerical approach for preventing the dispersion of infectious disease in a meeting room. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16959. [PMID: 36217014 PMCID: PMC9549042 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21161-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Airborne transmission of respiratory aerosols carrying infectious viruses has generated many concerns about cross-contamination risks, particularly in indoor environments. ANSYS Fluent software has been used to investigate the dispersion of the viral particles generated during a coughing event and their transport dynamics inside a safe social-distance meeting room. Computational fluid dynamics based on coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian techniques are used to explore the characteristics of the airflow field in the domain. The main objective of this study is to investigate the effects of the window opening frequency, exhaust layouts, and the location of the air conditioner systems on the dispersion of the particles. The results show that reducing the output capacity by raising the concentration of suspended particles and increasing their traveled distance caused a growth in the individuals' exposure to contaminants. Moreover, decreasing the distance between the ventilation systems installed location and the ceiling can drop the fraction of the suspended particles by over 35%, and the number of individuals who are subjected to becoming infected by viral particles drops from 6 to 2. As well, the results demonstrated when the direction of input airflow and generated particles were the same, the fraction of suspended particles of 4.125%, whereas if the inputs were shifted to the opposite direction of particle injection, the fraction of particles in fluid increased by 5.000%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Ahmadzadeh
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Pardis St., Vanak Sq., Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehrzad Shams
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Pardis St., Vanak Sq., Tehran, Iran.
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Fan H, Frank ES, Tobias DJ, Grassian VH. Interactions of limonene and carvone on titanium dioxide surfaces. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:23870-23883. [PMID: 36165087 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp03021g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Limonene, a monoterpene, found in cleaning products and air fresheners can interact with a variety of surfaces in indoor environments. An oxidation product of limonene, carvone, has been reported to cause contact allergens. In this study, we have investigated the interactions of limonene and carvone with TiO2, a component of paint and self-cleaning surfaces, at 297 ± 1 K with FTIR spectroscopy and force field-based molecular dynamics and ab initio simulations. The IR absorption spectra and computational methods show that limonene forms π-hydrogen bonds with the surface O-H groups on the TiO2 surface and that carvone adsorbs on the TiO2 surface through a variety of molecular interactions including through carbonyl oxygen atoms with Ti4+ surface atoms, O-H hydrogen bonding (carbonyl O⋯HO) and π-hydrogen bonds with surface O-H groups. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of relative humidity (RH) on the adsorption of limonene and carvone on the TiO2 surface. The spectroscopic results show that the adsorbed limonene can be completely displaced by water at a relative humidity of ca. 50% RH (∼2 MLs of water) and that 25% of carvone is displaced at ca. 67% RH, which agrees with the calculated free energies of adsorption which show carvone more strongly adsorbs on the surface relative to limonene and thus would be harder to displace from the surface. Overall, this study shows how a monoterpene and its oxidation product interact with TiO2 and the impact of relative humidity on these interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanyu Fan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
| | - Elianna S Frank
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
| | - Douglas J Tobias
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
| | - Vicki H Grassian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
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Khalifa AA, Khan E, Akhtar MS. Phytoremediation of indoor formaldehyde by plants and plant material. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION 2022; 25:493-504. [PMID: 35771032 DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2022.2090499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Formaldehyde evolves from various household items and is of environmental and public health concern. Removal of this contaminant from the indoor air is of utmost importance and currently, various practices are in the field. Among these practices, indoor plants are of particular importance because they help in controlling indoor temperature, moisture, and oxygen concentration. Plants and plant materials studied for the purpose have been reviewed hereunder. The main topics of the review are, mechanism of phytoremediation, plants and their benefits, plant material in formaldehyde remediation, and airtight environmental and health issues. Future research in the field is also highlighted which will help new researches to plan for the remediation of formaldehyde in indoor air. The remediation capacity of several plants has been tabulated and compared, which gives easy access to assess various plants for remediation of the target pollutant. Challenges and issues in the phytoremediation of formaldehyde are also discussed.Novelty statement: Phytoremediation is a well-known technique to mitigate various organic and inorganic pollutants. The technique has been used by various researchers for maintaining indoor air quality but its efficiency under real-world conditions and human activities is still a question and is vastly affected relative to laboratory conditions. Several modifications in the field are in progress, here in this review article we have summarized and highlighted new directions in the field which could be a better solution to the problem in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeer Ahmed Khalifa
- Environment and Sustainable Development Program, College of Science, University of Bahrain, Sakhir, Bahrain
- Department of Architecture and Interior Design, College of Engineering, University of Bahrain, Isa Town, Bahrain
| | - Ezzat Khan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Bahrain, Sakhir, Bahrain
- Department of Chemistry, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Pakistan
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