A Study on the Control of Bio-Aerosol for Prevention of Indoor Aerial Infection Using Antimicrobial Air Filter

Abstract

Some indoor bio-aerosols trigger allergic reactions, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, allergic rhinitis, and various types of asthma. Moreover, human influenza virus is one of the bio-aerosols that causes significant morbidity and mortality every year worldwide. Although vaccination is the most effective way to address the risk of airborne infection, they are not always feasible, available and practiced. An air cleaning device is effective and efficient in removing indoor bio-aerosols and thereby controlling or eliminating these airborne biological contaminants. An antimicrobial filter is developed and its antimicrobial activities against influenza viruses are measured. An extract from Gingko Biloba L. and Sumac (Rhus Javanica L.) possesses antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities thus this class of natural products is used as an antimicrobial agent in this study. An antimicrobial air filters were prepared by coating the natural agent on polypropylene filter media. The antimicrobial rates of the filter against new influenza (H1N1) virus and A/PuertoRico/8/34 (A/PR/8) virus were greater than 99.9999%. The antimicrobial filters were effective in controlling the bio-aerosols by inhibiting bacterial and viral survival on the filter, thereby preventing secondary contamination of filter from breeding of bio-aerosols. An air cleaning device equipped with the antimicrobial air filter was tested for the inhibition effect on viruses and no virus was detected at the outlet of the purifier. Although the antimicrobial filters are developed and tested only for the inactivation of virus in this study, the filter could be also effective in removing other types of bio-aerosols, such as bacteria, fungi, and allergens. The antimicrobial filter appears to be promising application in air cleaning and biological protection fields.