Evaluation of the Nano-Confined Catalytic Oxidation Technology for Air Purification and Odor Reduction

Abstract

Air pollution has a significant impact of human health. As modern individuals spend most of the day in tightly insulated buildings, there is a strong need for strategies to improve the quality of indoor air. A number of air cleaning methods ranging from simple filtration to photonic technologies have been used in commercial and residential air purifiers. Recently, a novel technology called Nano-Confined Catalytic Oxidation (NCCO) has been developed. In this study, the potential of NCCO versus two other commonly-used air purifiers to reduce odor nuisances caused by ammonia, toluene and hydrogen sulfide is evaluated. Twenty volunteers are asked to evaluate the odor levels before and after air purification, in a safe, controlled environment. The changes in odorant concentrations are also measured. The findings suggest that the NCCO-based air purifier outperforms the two other common residential air purifiers.