Abstract
We developed an antimicrobial air filter using natural sea salt (NSS) particles. Airborne NSS particles were produced via an aerosol process and were continuously coated onto the surface of an air filter under various deposition times. The filtration efficiency and bactericidal performance of the NSS-coated filter against aerosolized bacterial particles (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli) were evaluated quantitatively. The filtration efficiency of the tested filter ranged from 95% to 99% depending on the deposition time, and the bactericidal performance demonstrated efficiencies of more than 98% against both tested bacterial bioaerosols when the NSS deposition ratio was more than 500 μg/cm2. The experimental results indicated that the NSS-coated filters have the potential to be used as effective antimicrobial air filters for decreasing environmental exposure to microbial contaminants.
Highlights
IntroductionBioaerosols are defined as aerosols of biological origin, and they include airborne microbial contaminants (e.g., bacteria, fungal spores, and viruses), biological particulate fragments, and a variety of living particles
Bioaerosols are defined as aerosols of biological origin, and they include airborne microbial contaminants, biological particulate fragments, and a variety of living particles
Public concern associated with bioaerosols led to the establishment of legal regulations in healthcare facilities in the Republic of Korea (maximum allowable concentration: 800 colony-forming units (CFU)/m3 for total bacterial bioaerosols and 500 CFU/m3 for total fungal bioaerosols) [4]
Summary
Bioaerosols are defined as aerosols of biological origin, and they include airborne microbial contaminants (e.g., bacteria, fungal spores, and viruses), biological particulate fragments, and a variety of living particles. Public concern associated with bioaerosols led to the establishment of legal regulations in healthcare facilities in the Republic of Korea (maximum allowable concentration: 800 colony-forming units (CFU)/m3 for total bacterial bioaerosols and 500 CFU/m3 for total fungal bioaerosols) [4]. There are guidelines for bioaerosol concentrations, such as 100 CFU/m3 for the standard microbial level of bacterial bioaerosols by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), 300 CFU/m3 for fungal bioaerosols by the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), and. Controlling bioaerosols is an important issue for protecting humans against airborne pathogens and improving healthcare conditions [9,10]. Among various bioaerosol control methods, such as thermal energy exposure [11,12], ultraviolet germicidal irradiation [13,14], and ion emission [15], filtration technology is the most widely used method to enhance indoor air quality because of its simple installation and low economic costs [16,17]
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