The effects of intervention with local electrostatic air cleaners on airborne dust and the health of office employees
| Autor: | F. Levy, J. Kongerud, P. Djupesland, Wijnand Eduard, Knut Skyberg, K. Kruse, Knut R Skulberg |
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| Rok vydání: | 2005 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male medicine.medical_specialty Percentile Environmental Engineering Respiratory Tract Diseases Static Electricity medicine.disease_cause Air cleaner Office workers law.invention Acoustic rhinometry Randomized controlled trial law medicine Humans Practical implications Respiratory health Aged business.industry Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Dust Building and Construction Middle Aged Respiratory Function Tests Surgery Treatment Outcome Air Pollution Indoor Physical therapy Female Irritation business |
| Zdroj: | Indoor Air. 15:152-159 |
| ISSN: | 1600-0668 0905-6947 |
| Popis: | UNLABELLED The aim of this intervention study was to identify any health improvements in the upper and lower airways of office workers after the installation of local electrostatic air cleaners. Eighty persons with airways symptoms were recruited and randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Half of the air cleaners had a non-functioning electrostatic unit. Both participants and field researchers were blinded to the group status. Subjective symptoms were recorded using a questionnaire, and indexes calculated for general, irritation and skin symptoms. Objective respiratory health indicators were recorded, with acoustic rhinometry and peak expiratory flow (PEF) meters. In the intervention group there was a decrease in mean dust concentration from 65 to 35 microg/m(3), and a reduction from 57 to 47 microg/m(3) in the control group (P < 0.05 for difference in decline). The reduction was observed for all particles sizes. The irritation and general symptom indices decreased in both groups, but there was no improvement in the intervention group, compared with the control group. Median PEF increased 3 ml/s in the intervention group, and decreased 4 ml/s in the control group. The adjusted odds ratio for an increase above the 70th percentile was 5.7 (95% CI 1.0-32). PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Electrostatic air cleaners can reduce the dust concentration effectively in the office environment. Small, medium and large sized particles can be reduced by approximately 50%, relatively most effectively for the respirable particles. However, the air cleaners tested in this study produced an annoying fan noise. Cleaning efficiency and noise data should be given consideration before installation. This experimental field study suggests that office workers with airways symptoms may benefit from installation of local electrostatic air cleaners. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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