Indoor air quality improvement using developed polymeric membrane filter

Abstract

Abstract Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels must be controlled to protect the environment and human health. Previous studies focused on improving indoor air quality (IAQ) by reducing these negative impacts with electrical equipment such as mechanical ventilators and air purifiers; however, passive techniques were lacking. This work develops a prototype membrane filters to improve IAQ by capturing and separating indoor CO 2 levels. These filters use polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) membranes and activated carbon (AC) as innovative and effective passive materials at four concentrations. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-Ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to characterize the materials. The effectiveness of CO 2 absorption across the four filter types was then assessed through tests conducted in a controlled environment. Subsequently, site monitoring was undertaken to evaluate the most effective filter. The absorption rates of CO 2 levels indoors of the developed filters are 17.5%, 8.1%, 4.5%, and 3.4%, respectively, for four filters. The most efficient filter increased absorption efficiency by 47.8% in an unoccupied space and 35.5% in an occupied one. This passive material can be applied in various indoor spaces, including office buildings, residential buildings, and educational facilities, due to its benefits in saving energy and enhancing indoor environmental quality.