2025 / 01 by Professor Pei-Shih Chen

Air purifiers can enhance indoor air quality and health outcomes, and studies have primarily focused on high-efficiency particulate air filters and particulate matter (PM) in households. Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) is a promising technique for eliminating gaseous pollutants. However, field studies have yet to be conducted on the removal efficiency of PCO in residential settings. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of the PCO and PCO + filters intervention on indoor air pollutants and cardiopulmonary endpoints.

A randomized, double-blind crossover clinical trial was conducted among 65 patients with asthma residing in a heavily industrialized urban area. Indoor air pollutants, including PM, bioaerosols, gaseous pollutants, and cardiopulmonary endpoints, including lung function parameters, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), respiratory symptoms, and blood pressure, were assessed before and after intervention.

This was the first study to evaluate the effects of PCO and PCO + filters interventions on the levels of indoor air pollutants and on cardiopulmonary health in adults with asthma living in a heavily industrialized area. Although we observed significantly improvements in indoor TVOC and SO2, we found the significantly decreased in forced vital capacity (FVC)% and FEV3% and increased in FeNO. The PCO + filters intervention significantly reduced the levels of indoor PM, bioaerosols, and gaseous pollutants. As for cardiopulmonary health, FVC% and FEV1% marginally increased 7 days after the PCO + filters intervention. We suggest that residents living in high-polluted area could use PCO + filters air purifier to enhance indoor air quality and cardiopulmonary endpoints.

Application and Highlights:

1) First study evaluates PCO + filters air purifier on indoor air and health outcomes.
2) PCO intervention decreased indoor TVOC and SO2 concentrations in households.
3) PCO + filters intervention reduced indoor PM, bioaerosols, and gaseous pollutants.
4) PCO + filters intervention improved FVC% and FEV1% among asthma adults.

More Information:

Zhang JL, Liao GY, Lin HY, Xie JA, Li WC, Chen HC, Wu DW, Juan HL, Kuo JY, Chen PS*. Enhancing indoor air quality and cardiopulmonary health in patients with asthma by photocatalytic oxidation and filters air cleaner. J Hazard Mater. 2024 Nov 20;482:136573. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136573. (SCIE, IF2023: 12.2, 12/358=3.35% in ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES)

Research Team Members:

Jia Lin Zhang, Guan-Yu Liao, Hong-Yi Lin, Jie-An Xie, Wan-Chen Li, Huang-Chi Chen, Da Wei Wu, Huai-Lei Juan, Jia-Yu Kuo, Pei-Shih Chen