TY - GEN
T1 - Experimental tests of CAM plants and hydrogels for outdoor air pollutant filtration systems
AU - Alhabib, Ghayda
AU - Bernal, Sandra
AU - Ida, Aletheia
AU - Engineer, Altaf
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 16th Conference of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate: Creative and Smart Solutions for Better Built Environments, Indoor Air 2020. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Water and plants absorb 55% of the carbon dioxide and pollutants introduced by humans into the atmosphere (Riebeek, 2011). This study hypothesizes that outdoor air filtration systems consisting of combinations of specific plants and saturated hydrogels are effective in increasing indoor air quality (IAQ) by decreasing airborne pollutants coming in via outdoor urban environments. Various plant types are analyzed to compare their efficiency in reducing air pollutants. From these, the Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) type plants were found to be the most efficient. Saturated hydrogels configured in a matrix to allow air to pass through were also found to absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5). The study was conducted in a hot arid climate in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The results revealed a lowering of dry-bulb temperature in the daytime hours via evaporative cooling, an increase in relative humidity levels to 46% on average, and reduction in daytime levels of VOCs, CO2, and PM10 and PM2.5. This study, therefore, has significant implications for the future design of outdoor air filtration systems that can be combined with natural ventilation strategies for optimum IAQ.
AB - Water and plants absorb 55% of the carbon dioxide and pollutants introduced by humans into the atmosphere (Riebeek, 2011). This study hypothesizes that outdoor air filtration systems consisting of combinations of specific plants and saturated hydrogels are effective in increasing indoor air quality (IAQ) by decreasing airborne pollutants coming in via outdoor urban environments. Various plant types are analyzed to compare their efficiency in reducing air pollutants. From these, the Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) type plants were found to be the most efficient. Saturated hydrogels configured in a matrix to allow air to pass through were also found to absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5). The study was conducted in a hot arid climate in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The results revealed a lowering of dry-bulb temperature in the daytime hours via evaporative cooling, an increase in relative humidity levels to 46% on average, and reduction in daytime levels of VOCs, CO2, and PM10 and PM2.5. This study, therefore, has significant implications for the future design of outdoor air filtration systems that can be combined with natural ventilation strategies for optimum IAQ.
KW - Air quality monitoring
KW - CAM plants
KW - Hydrogel filters
KW - Indoor air quality (IAQ)
KW - Natural ventilation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101626645&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85101626645&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85101626645
T3 - 16th Conference of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate: Creative and Smart Solutions for Better Built Environments, Indoor Air 2020
BT - 16th Conference of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate
PB - International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate
T2 - 16th Conference of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate: Creative and Smart Solutions for Better Built Environments, Indoor Air 2020
Y2 - 1 November 2020
ER -