Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are ubiquitous in indoor environments. Inhalation of VOCs can cause irritation, difficulty breathing, and nausea, and damage the central nervous system as well as other organs. Formaldehyde is a particularly important VOC as it is even a carcinogen. Removal of VOCs is thus critical to control indoor air quality (IAQ). Photocatalytic oxidation has demonstrated feasibility to remove toxic VOCs and formaldehyde from indoor environments. The technique is highly-chemical stable, inexpensive, non-toxic, and capable of removing a wide variety of organics under light irradiation. In this paper, we review and summarize the traditional air cleaning methods and current photocatalytic oxidation approaches in both of VOCs and formaldehyde degradation in indoor environments. Influencing factors such as temperature, relative humidity, deactivation and reactivations of the photocatalyst are discussed. Aspects of the application of the photocatalytic technique to improve the IAQ are suggested.
Highlights
As more illnesses are being attributed by indoor air pollution, indoor air quality (IAQ) of residential units and workplaces is a serious concern
The effect of RH on the degradation is negligible at a formaldehyde concentration of 3.3 ̆ 0.3 ppmv; while at a higher concentration level (8.6 ̆ 0.5 ppmv), the degradation efficiency significantly dropped at a RH of 90%
Formaldehyde is of high concern due to its carcinogenicity and universality
Summary
As more illnesses are being attributed by indoor air pollution, indoor air quality (IAQ) of residential units and workplaces is a serious concern. Typical indoor air pollutants are particulate matters (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx ), carbon monoxide (CO), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs [3,4] is one class of prominent and representative indoor pollutants. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S EPA) estimated that the VOCs levels in indoor air are typically 5–10 times higher than those of outdoor air [5]. Over 50% of the precedent-controlled pollutants proposed by the U.S.EPA are VOCs [6]. One such dangerous VOC that is being targeted by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is formaldehyde
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