Improving indoor air quality, health and performance within environments where people live, travel, learn and work
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Kelly, Frank J
Fussell, Julia C
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
In today's 'indoor generation', most human activities take place within an enclosed space, characterised by a chemically diverse and complex air quality. Although source control is the universally preferred approach to reduce contaminants, this is becoming increasingly insufficient, technically unfeasible or economically unviable. The provision of adequate ventilation is also being challenged by invariably poor outdoor air quality and our quest for a low carbon economy. Whilst the former directly adds to the burden of indoor air pollution, both factors attract mitigation measures that are leading to efforts to seal off indoor spaces, which can increase exposure to endogenous indoor air pollutants, heighten health risks and curtail concentration, learning and productivity. Research to date on the role of air purification technologies in key indoor microenvironments demonstrates that air filtration produces clear reductions in indoor pollution concentrations. To confirm the optimistic modelled health/performance benefits associated with air purification further research is required, evaluating longer term interventions particularly in vulnerable populations, employing real-time sensors to quantitatively assess complete exposure profiles and optimizing technologies/strategies to remove specific indoor air pollutants (eg infiltrated versus endogenous particles, gases, chemically transformed organics) within the unique spaces where people live, learn, work and travel.
Date Issued
2019-03-01
Date Acceptance
2018-11-25
Citation
Atmospheric Environment, 2019, 200, pp.90-109
ISSN
1352-2310
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
90
End Page
109
Journal / Book Title
Atmospheric Environment
Volume
200
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231018308410?via%3Dihub
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-12-12