Efficiency and harmfulness of air-purifying photocatalytic commercial devices: From standardized chamber tests to nanoparticles release

N. Costarramone (1) , B. Kartheuser , Christophe Pécheyran (2) , Thierry Pigot (2) , Sylvie Lacombe-Lhoste (2)

1 UT2A - Ultra Traces Analyses Aquitaine
2 IPREM - Institut des sciences analytiques et de physico-chimie pour l'environnement et les materiaux

The aim of this study was the comparison of the efficiency of several commercial photocatalytic air-purifiers according to the French XP B44-013 AFNOR standard test (soon European) in a large closed chamber at the ppbV level under controlled conditions representative of indoor air. After inter-lab comparisons validating the method and analytical procedures, the commercial devices were evaluated for the mineralization of a mixture of four representative VOCs (acetaldehyde, acetone, n-heptane and toluene). Comparison of the degradation rate allowed the determination of the clean air delivery rate (CADR), while the mineralization efficiency was determined from CO\textlessinf\textgreater2\textless/inf\textgreater analysis. The devices could be ranked in two classes: class 1 for efficient devices (high CADR, extended mineralization, no by-product) and class 2 for inefficient and unsafe ones (by-product release even in the absence of VOCs, low CADR and mineralization). Electrical low pressure impactor (ELPI) could not evidence any nanoparticles release with any of the studied devices. Formaldehyde was the main by-product detected in all cases, but the concentration remained low and decreased with time due to its total mineralization with class 1 devices. For class 2 devices, formaldehyde concentration was higher and went on increasing with time. These experimental data point out the urgent need of careful evaluation and certification of commercial photocatalytic air-purifiers for consumer's safety and secure development of the technology. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mots clés: degradation; Degradation rate; Efficiency; Electrical low-pressure impactor; formaldehyde; Formaldehyde concentrations; Heptane; mineralization; Mineralogy; Nanoparticles; photocatalysis; Purification; Standard; Standards; Volatile organic compounds; Volatile organic compounds (VOCs); Acetone; Air cleaners; Air purification; Air purifiers; Analytical procedure; Carbon dioxide; Closed chambers; Commercial Devices; Controlled conditions

Domaines: Chimie; Catalyse; Matériaux

N. Costarramone, B. Kartheuser, Christophe Pécheyran, Thierry Pigot, Sylvie Lacombe-Lhoste. Efficiency and harmfulness of air-purifying photocatalytic commercial devices: From standardized chamber tests to nanoparticles release. Catalysis Today, 2015, 252, pp.35--40. ⟨10.1016/j.cattod.2015.01.008⟩. ⟨hal-01499760⟩