Air quality is deteriorating throughout the world due to emissions from power plants, automobiles and industrial processes. In addition, organics used in indoor building materials, carpets, paints and surface finishes add to the indoor air quality problems. According to USEPA, indoor air can be 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Filtration of air has been the dominant way of improving the indoor air quality, HEPA filters being the standard for air filters. However, many recent studies, especially from the medical literature have shown that filtration of air is not enough to take care of the indoor air quality problems. This is because particles smaller than the pore sizes of the filters, especially, Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) are able to pass through the filters and any micro-organisms trapped on the filters continue to multiply on the filters and eventually get back into the air. 

Photo-electrochemical oxidation (PECO) technology was introduced in the market by Molekule in 2016, which does not just capture the pollutants but destroys them by oxidation process. The technology has been shown to be effective against biological pollutants, such as, bacteria, viruses and spores and also against molecular pollutants, such as, VOCs. 

The latest innovative technology for indoor air disinfection and detoxification is Plasmonic Photonic technology. This technology uses nanoparticles to generate surface plasmons, which when subjected to an incident light of the same frequency causes resonance to multiply the effect of incident light to disinfect the indoor air by phtoctalysis. This technology is being introduced to the market as an integral part of the air conditioning system in buildings, as a protection against next viral pandemic.

The lecture will describe the science and technology behind each innovation and its impact on indoor air quality and in keeping indoor air disinfected and alleviating the allergy and asthma symptoms of patients.