Air purifiers significantly reduce the risk of infection in classrooms
Study by the Frankfurt Goethe University from November 19, 2021
It doesn't have to be frozen!
Room air cleaners with Hepa filters are considered an alternative to regular airing. A new preliminary study by Frankfurt's Goethe University shows that the air purifiers can remove 90% of aerosols from classrooms in 30 minutes. This significantly reduces the risk of infection.
Good results in the classroom test.For the study, which was published as a preprint on medrxiv.org, the research team led by Joachim Curtius tested four air purifiers in a school class with 27 students for a week. The devices used have a simple pre-filter for coarse dust and fluff as well as a HEPA and activated carbon filter. Together, the air purifier convert between 760 and 1460 cubic meters of air per hour. In addition to the aerosol pollution, the scientists determined the amount of fine dust and the CO2 concentration and examined the noise pollution caused by the device.
Even with a super spreader in the room, the risk of infection is reduced "Based on our measurement data, we made a model calculation that can be used to estimate: An air purifier reduces the amount of aerosols so much that in a closed room the risk of infection from a highly infectious person - a superspreader - would also be very significantly reduced," says curtius Noise measurements and a survey of the students and teachers showed that the noise from the devices was mostly not perceived as disturbing as long as they were not running at the highest level. "That's why we recommend that schools use HEPA air purifiers with a sufficiently high air flow rate this winter."
