Summary:
In this post, Canadian air filtration experts from Camfil Canada break down the risk of inhaling virus and bacteria particles, review antiviral and antimicrobial filters on the market, and examine the true effectiveness of these filters in capturing and/or neutralizing viruses and bacteria.
What Are Antiviral/Antimicrobial Air Filters?
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increased awareness of virus particles and bacteria that linger in the air indoors and are harmful to human health when inhaled. As such, antiviral and antimicrobial filters have made a resurgence in the air filtration market with various manufacturers offering filtration products that are claimed to be treated with chemicals/biocides. These chemicals are supposed to “kill” pathogens that reach the air filter.
While the implementation of these filters may seem like a sensible solution in mitigating the spread of hazardous particles, there are key concerns that call into question the filters’ true effectiveness. These concerns include, but are not limited to, the potential risk of harmful emissions that enter the airstream as a result of these chemical treatments, efficiency claims that are validated by incomplete lab results, and the probability of decreasing efficiency of the chemical treatments over time.
How Do Virus and Bacteria Particles Spread Indoors?
Before exploring the concerns surrounding antiviral and antimicrobial air filters, it is necessary to establish clear definitions of viruses and...
Published by: Thomas Jacob