Optimization of a DIY Air Cleaner Design to Reduce Residential Air Pollution Exposure for a Community Experiencing Environmental Injustices

Nicholas Clements, SUMIT SANKHYAN, Allison Heckman, Jonathan Aumann, Shelly L. Miller, University of Colorado Boulder

     Abstract Number: 469
     Working Group: Aerosol Exposure

Abstract
PM_2.5 exposure has been linked to several adverse health effects including cardiovascular system related comorbidities that could lead to increased mortality rates among the general population. These health burden risks are disproportionately higher for populations living in low-income neighborhoods primarily because most of these living spaces lie near major traffic centers and industrial areas, which are significant sources of PM_2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These pollutants often infiltrate indoors leading to unhealthy indoor air quality in many of the homes in these neighborhoods.

Large scale deployment of “do it yourself” (DIY) air cleaners made from HEPA filters attached to a box fan could be an effective intervention method for addressing exposure disparities by reducing PM_2.5 and VOC levels indoors where people spend most of their time on daily basis. However, there have been very few studies that reported feedback from the occupants regarding long-term usage in their homes. In this study we evaluated six different types of DIY air cleaner prototypes to select the ideal design for large scale deployment (~50 homes) in low-income neighborhoods around the Denver metropolitan area. We found out that the protypes with single filters fared much better than ones containing multiple filters in terms of clean air delivery rates normalized by annual running costs, ease of build, and overall size. The survey results regarding the DIY air cleaner usage demonstrate that in addition to noise, continuous operation of these DIY air cleaners was also hindered by cold air flow affecting thermal comfort of the residents and reluctance by the participants to use these protypes in front of outside company fearing embarrassment over its basic and inelegant design.