Air purifiers for schools: study results show reduced risk of coronavirus infection
Researchers from the Infrastructure Safety Department at the Korea Institute of Construction Technology (KICT) recently conducted an empirical air purifier study at South Korea’s Gimpo Foreign Language High School northwest of the capital Seoul.
The results of the study of a classroom situation with 25 students were that window ventilation reduced the risk of infection by 55%, and the use of the AiroDoctor with closed windows also reduced the risk by 50%.
The device performed best when it was placed in the middle of the room. The use of the air purifier in combination with window ventilation was interesting: here the risk of infection dropped by a full 73%. The students reported that they were not disturbed by the AiroDoctor in class due to the low operating noise level.
Carsten Hermann, Managing Director ScreenSource GmbH, said: “We are very pleased about the groundbreaking results from South Korea. We trust that the relevant authorities nationally and internationally will take notice of such important studies. After all, the globally unique filter technology of the AiroDoctor can make an important contribution in a long-term strategy against SARS-CoV-2.”
The overall study included several rounds in which the performance of different antiviral and antibacterial air purifiers was tested in a real classroom. For this purpose, virus-like salt microparticles were released into the air as aerosols, the concentration levels which were measured in succession in the centre and at the edge of the room in each case. In this way, one or more infectious students could be simulated in different settings. For the final round, the researchers chose the AiroDoctor WAD-M20 to investigate the effectiveness of the air purifier in comparison with normal window ventilation in a test lasting several days. The setting assumed that students did not move around the room and distances were maintained.
South Korea is already using numerous AiroDoctor air purification devices in screening clinics, hospitals, train stations, call centers and educational institutions. ScreenSource GmbH, co-developer of the AiroDoctor, is selling the innovative air purifiers through distribution partners in 16 countries.
