Improving indoor air quality in dental practices and certain hospital environments with stand-alone air purification systems.

The goal of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of stand-alone modular airpurification systems in improving air quality in dental practices and certain hospital andlaboratory environments. As air pollutant make-up and concentration may vary significantlyin different indoor enviromnents, the air cleaning technologies utilised should be optimisedfor the pollutants targeted in a particular environment. Reduction of mercury vapours andformaldehyde were examined because of their importance for indoor air quality in dentalpractices.

Experimental development of a natural controlled ventilation device.

The Building Components Technology Department of ICITE, the Central Institute forIndustrialization and Technology in Building of the Italian National Research Council hasstarted an experimental research on natural controlled ventilation devices.Today the air quality of an indoor environment may have several effects on our health, due tothe presence of polluting and extremely noxious agents in the places we most frequently use.That is the reason why ICITE has undertaken to develop a research and an experimentationstudy aimed at establishing a device for the controlled natural ventilation of

Destruction of VOC using photocatalyst under UC light irradiation - the influence of UV wavelength on mineralisation.

Avariety of gaseous pollutants in indoor air now are becoming an object to control. Thus, westudied a removal technique using TiO2 photocatalyst under 365 nm or 254 nm UV-lightirradiation for toluene, benzene, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde as examples of hazardousvolatile organic compounds (VOCS), in order to get detailed analytical data for productsderived from these contaminants. Although these compounds were effectively destructed, notonly CO2 but also high concentration of toxic compounds, such as aldehydes were formed inthe case of under 365 nm UV-light irradiation.

Particulate air pollution and acute health effects.

Epidemiological studies have consistently shown an association between particulate air pollution and not only exacerbations of illness in people with respiratory disease but also rises in the numbers of deaths from cardiovascular and respirator y disease among older people. Meta-analyses of these studies indicate that the associations are unlikely to be explained by any confounder, and suggest that they represent cause and effect.

Indoor air quality and passive solar buildings.

Passive solar buildings are expected to provide their intended functions, safely and without adverse health effects, and at substantial energy savings compared to conventional buildings. Moreover, passive solar buildings are frequently considered as appropriate technology in parts of the world where the incidence rates of diseases associated with indoor exposures may be the highest.

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