Indoor Air Quality and Chemical Filtration of Pollutant Gases

2021-10-05 09:43:43

We live in a world where pollution constantly surrounds us. There are a multitude of polluting gases both outdoors and indoors that affect us in an invisible way.

Pollution from outside can cause serious respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, cough, lung cancer, asthma, etc. and cardiovascular diseases among others.

What is not so commonly known is that inside homes and buildings can also have an environment 5 to 10 times more polluted than outside, according to the WHO.

Currently, people living in urban environments in industrialized countries spend up to 90% of their time indoors.

These data reveal that it is necessary to have good air quality in closed environments and thus avoid the discomforts generated and stimulated by poor air quality. Some of the most common consequences are headaches, dizziness, nausea, persistent colds, irritation of the respiratory tract, etc.

On the other hand, living in buildings with adequate indoor environmental quality can bring great benefits:

- Increasing environmental comfort

- Increased productivity

- Decrease short-term sick leave

- Reducing viruses and bacteria in the environment

- Reducing the risk of respiratory disease contagion

- Decrease the risk of allergic sensitization.

Fortunately, technology makes it possible to actively treat bacteria, pollution and many of the pollutant gases present.

BION as an expert in gas filtration focuses its knowledge and commercial offer on the elimination or treatment of the most common gases present in environmental pollution.

	Target Gas
Indoors	Formaldehyde
	α-pinene
	VOCs (medium and high molecular weight)
	Tetrachoroenthylene
	Acetone
Outdoors	SOx
	NOx
	Ozone
	VOCs (medium and high molecular weight

Our solutions can be applied as a complement in particulate filtration technologies, from an individual level in non-professional refrigeration systems to large installations in residential buildings, commercial centers and civil buildings.

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Protect your biogas installations and reduce the maintenance costs

The conversion of biogas into green energy is not only environmentally friendly, but also contributes to the optimization of natural resources. More and more industries have biogas stations to take advantage of waste generated in these facilities, contributing to generate a circular economy where all available resources are exploited. Biogas plants need to remove impurities before it is diverted to its final use (upgrading or cogeneration engines). In the case of upgrading, the need for purification is high due to the strict conditions required for methane purity. The BION media ensures an effective removal of impurities at 99.5% efficiency. BION medias: Protect and maintain the compressor by preventing the occurrence of corrosive atmosphere inside the compressor. Protect the membranes against fouling or pore blockage. Have very high adsorption capacity They are specially designed to give high performance in environments with low oxygen levels. Protect and maintain the installations This becomes to reduced operating and maintenance costs and increased sorbent or adsorbent lifetime. BION biogas purification solutions are the best return on investment because they They remove pollutant gases before they cause irreversible damage to membranes, compressors or cogeneration equipment. Enables compliance with biomethane grid injection input requirements Extends the lifetime of the pretreatment stage by reducing operating costs Avoid downtime by preventing costly unexpected repairs Eliminate ALL common contaminants other than H2S.

WWTPs, how to prevent and control the generation of odorous gases?

There are three commonly used technologies for the prevention and control of odor gases: 1: chemical scrubbing The chemical scrubbing treatment system consists of passing the gas through scrubbing towers where air/water/reagent contact takes place. In chemical scrubbing, an acidic or basic chemical solution is injected into the system from the top, passing through the flow of the gas, and is then recovered at the bottom of the tower for recovery and recirculation. The gaseous compounds are retained in the chemical solution which must be replaced periodically. This technology has a high operating cost and a high risk associated because of the handling of this kind of chemicals. 2: filtration with solid adsorbents There are different types of solid adsorbents for odor removal, the most common is activated carbon. The gas passes through tanks containing the adsorbent media. The adsorbent media and its ability to remove odorous gases can vary depending on: - The porous structure of the base material (activated carbon, natural clays). - The chemical impregnation of the agents that cause the adsorbent media to react with specific gaseous contaminants to retain them or convert them into non-odorous ones. Activated carbon filtration is a technology with a low initial investment cost, which does not require qualified personnel for its operation, which makes its use extensive. The installation of covers in different areas of the wastewater or sewage treatment plant (pretreatment, thickeners, sludge storage, decanter channels (1st and 2nd), allow to mitigate the dispersion of odorous gases and to channel the air flow towards a tank with adsorbent media that allows the filtration of odor causing compounds (H2S, ammonia, sulfides, mercaptans, VOCs). BION offer solutions consisting of adsorbent media or chemical filter media (https://www.bioconservacion.com/chemical-filtration-media). These solutions include virgin activated carbon and other adsorbent chemical media that effectively remove odor gases generated in a WWTP even better and more efficiently than activated carbon solutions. 3: advanced biofiltration (biofilters) The biofiltration deodorization process is based on the action of microorganisms capable of decomposing odorous compounds. They are effective when it is necessary to remove high concentrations of odor compounds or to treat large air flows. The operating cost is minimal. But microorganisms are sensitive to atmospheric conditions of temperature and relative humidity. Also need a constant supply to survive. It can be affected by process stoppages or decreases in the concentration of the compounds reaching the filter. Each of these systems has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. The most appropriate technology will depend, to a large extent, on the type of gaseous effluent to be treated.

Sick Building Syndrome

The sick building syndrome is a set of discomforts and diseases caused by multiple causes such as poor ventilation, suspended particles, gases and vapors of chemical origin and aerosols, among others. The WHO defines it as the set of diseases caused or stimulated by air pollution in enclosed spaces. The effects on human health associated with the sick building syndrome include: Irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and skin. Headaches, migraine, dizziness and fatigue. Respiratory discomfort. Symptoms tend to increase with increasing time spent in the building and disappear when not inhabited. In this way, Sick Building Syndrome causes a substantial alteration of work performance and interpersonal relationships, as well as a considerable loss of productivity. Some of the gases that cause this syndrome come from common construction materials, furniture, textile materials, paints, wallpapers, floors and even cleaning products, air fresheners and deodorizers. Some of the most common gases present are: Formaldehydes α-pinenes VOC's Tetrachloroethylene Acetones Etc. In BION we have a wide range of medias that are able to eliminate practically 100% of these gases and ensure a good Indoor Air Quality. BIOGRAPHY https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/indoor-air-quality#note3 https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/indoor-air-quality https://www.wondermakers.com/Portals/0/docs/Sick%20building%20syndrome%20by%20WHO.pdf

Indoor Air Quality and Chemical Filtration of Pollutant Gases

In our blog...

Protect your biogas installations and reduce the maintenance costs

WWTPs, how to prevent and control the generation of odorous gases?

Sick Building Syndrome

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