Abstract
Fine particulate matter entering the body through breathing cause serious damage to humans. In South Korea, filter-type air purifiers are used to eliminate indoor fine particulate matter, and there has been a broad range of studies on the spread of fine particulate matter and air purifiers. However, earlier studies have not evaluated an operating method of air purifiers considering the inflow of fine particulate matter into the body or reduction performance of the concentration of fine particulate matter. There is a limit to controlling the concentration of fine particulate matter of the overall space where an air purifier is fixed in one spot as the source of indoor fine particulate matter is varied. Accordingly, this study analyzed changes in the concentration of indoor fine particulate matter through an experiment according to the discharging method and location of a fixed air purifier considering the inflow route of fine particulate matter into the body and their harmfulness. The study evaluated the purifiers’ performance in reducing the concentration of fine particulate matter in the occupants’ breathing zone according to the operation method in which a movable air purifier responds to the movement of occupants. The results showed the concentration of fine particulate matter around the breathing zone of the occupants had decreased by about 51 μg/m3 compared to the surrounding concentration in terms of the operating method in which an air purifier tracks occupants in real-time, and a decrease of about 68 μg/m3 in terms of the operating method in which an air purifier controls the zone. On the other hand, a real-time occupant tracking method may face a threshold due to the moving path of an air purifier and changes in the number of occupants. A zone controlling method is deemed suitable as an operating method of a movable air purifier to reduce the concentration of fine particulate matter in the breathing zone of occupants.
Highlights
IntroductionHigh levels of fine particulate matter are observed in the atmosphere of the East
High levels of fine particulate matter are observed in the atmosphere of the EastAsian regions, including South Korea, regardless of the season due to rapid economic growth and industrialization, causing adverse effects on the body [1,2]
In the case of a mobile air purifier, the real-time occupant tracking method was effective in terms of reducing the concentration of fine particulate matter in the breathing zone of occupants by 51 μg/m3 compared to the surrounding PM concentration, but there are limits in actual use regarding the moving path of the air purifier or the change in the number of occupants
Summary
High levels of fine particulate matter are observed in the atmosphere of the East. Asian regions, including South Korea, regardless of the season due to rapid economic growth and industrialization, causing adverse effects on the body [1,2]. The inflow of outdoor particulate matter into the indoor space is causing deterioration of the indoor air quality. Health Organization, 3.8 million people a year die prematurely from illness attributable to household air pollution [3]. Particulate matter is classified into PM10 , which has particulate matter less than 10 μm and PM2.5 , which has particulate matter less than 2.5 μm [4]. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 5561; doi:10.3390/ijerph17155561 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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