Aerosol Nanoparticle Control by Electrostatic Precipitation and Filtration Processes—A Review

Abstract

The growing increase in emissions of ultrafine particles or nanoparticles by industries and urban centers has become worrisome due to the potential adverse health effects when inhaled. Particles in this size range have greater ease of pulmonary penetration, being able to access the bloodstream and deposit in other regions of the body. Thus, the development and optimization of equipment and processes aimed at the removal of aerosols of nanoparticles have been gaining importance in this current scenario. Among the equipment commonly used, electrostatic precipitators and filters stand out as being versatile and consolidated processes in the literature. This review explores and analyzes the theoretical bases of these two processes in the collection of such small particles in addition to providing a general overview of the development of technologies and studies on these topics.