By Healthcare Facilities Today

Although ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) light and gas-phase air purification are proven technologies, the combination of these technologies with photo catalytic oxidation (PCO) offers a new and powerful tool for healthcare facility indoor air quality (IAQ), according to an article on the Medical Construction & Design website.

The combination of these technologies offers healthcare administrators a complete IAQ solution that disinfects airborne microbes, adsorbs gaseous contaminants and regenerates the absorption media itself using new PCO methodology, the article said.

There are many studies on the effectiveness of a UVGI in reducing airborne pathogens. A 2009 Michigan State University study at Ingham Regional Medical Center, Lansing, Mich., and its Greenlawn campus, demonstrated significant reductions in airborne bacteria. 

There also are studies recommending gas-phase air purification, such as “Predicting Gaseous Air Cleaner Performance in the Field” by C. Howard-Reed, S.J. Nabinger, and S.J. Emmerich of the Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Md. The filtration tests, performed in a house using decane as the gaseous pollutant, demonstrated gas-phase air purification reduced the contaminant by 30-44 percent in a single pass, the article said.

PCO uses light such as UVGI, to stimulate a chemical reaction when shined on PCO media of titanium dioxide-infused activated carbon. PCO by itself is somewhat effective at reducing airborne VOCs, however using activated carbon as the PCO media achieves the best results. Titanium dioxide-infused carbon media holds onto VOC contaminants and gives the PCO process time to convert them into harmless CO2 and water vapor.

Read the article.