Identification and Mitigation of Deposited Indoor Air Microplastics in an Office Environment in Kuala Lumpur
Microplastic (MP) contamination in indoor environments has become a growing concern due to its potential health risks and environmental implications. Since humans spend a significant portion of their lives indoors, exposure to MPs through various pathways, including settled dust, air, water, and foo...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
EDP Sciences
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | E3S Web of Conferences |
| Online Access: | https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2024/119/e3sconf_icongeet2024_01001.pdf |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846161146586857472 |
|---|---|
| author | Dewika M. Markandan Kalaimani Nagaratnam Shalini Irfan N. Ahmad Jamian Nor Ruwaida Yusuf Sara Yasina Khalid Mohammad Wong Alexander H.M. Chin W.M. |
| author_facet | Dewika M. Markandan Kalaimani Nagaratnam Shalini Irfan N. Ahmad Jamian Nor Ruwaida Yusuf Sara Yasina Khalid Mohammad Wong Alexander H.M. Chin W.M. |
| author_sort | Dewika M. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microplastic (MP) contamination in indoor environments has become a growing concern due to its potential health risks and environmental implications. Since humans spend a significant portion of their lives indoors, exposure to MPs through various pathways, including settled dust, air, water, and food, is a substantial concern. Ventilation, air conditioning, and filtration systems play a crucial role in improving indoor air quality. This study investigated the effectiveness of Air Purifier Units (APUs) in reducing MP concentrations in office environments within a Malaysian university. The efficiency of APUs can vary depending on factors such as purifier type, filtration method, airflow rate, and room size. The results demonstrated a 35% average reduction in MP counts when APUs were operational, regardless of whether air vents were open or closed. Specifically, with air vents open, MP counts decreased from 1273.8 to 825.5 when the APU was on. Similarly, with air vents closed, counts dropped from 1272.4 to 831.5. These findings were further validated through statistical analysis using the Shapiro-Wilk test for normality and the Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, and Dunn’s test for group comparisons. The study’s findings highlight the significant impact of APUs in mitigating airborne MP exposure, contributing to improved indoor air quality and reducing potential health risks associated with MP inhalation. These results provide valuable insights for building managers, policymakers, and individuals seeking to create healthier indoor environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3c4e00a1b2944dd9be78221e2d325dba |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2267-1242 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | E3S Web of Conferences |
| spelling | doaj-art-3c4e00a1b2944dd9be78221e2d325dba2024-11-21T11:28:24ZengEDP SciencesE3S Web of Conferences2267-12422024-01-015890100110.1051/e3sconf/202458901001e3sconf_icongeet2024_01001Identification and Mitigation of Deposited Indoor Air Microplastics in an Office Environment in Kuala LumpurDewika M.0Markandan Kalaimani1Nagaratnam Shalini2Irfan N. Ahmad3Jamian Nor Ruwaida4Yusuf Sara Yasina5Khalid Mohammad6Wong Alexander H.M.7Chin W.M.8School of American Education, Sunway UniversityFaculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI UniversitySchool of Business, Monash University, Jalan Lagoon SelatanSchool of American Education, Sunway UniversityAir Resources Research Laboratory, Malaysia Japan International Institute of TechnologySchool of Environmental Engineering, University Malaysia PerlisSunway Centre for Electrochemical Energy and Sustainable Technology (SCEEST), School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway UniversityDaikin Research and Development Malaysia Sdn BhdDaikin Research and Development Malaysia Sdn BhdMicroplastic (MP) contamination in indoor environments has become a growing concern due to its potential health risks and environmental implications. Since humans spend a significant portion of their lives indoors, exposure to MPs through various pathways, including settled dust, air, water, and food, is a substantial concern. Ventilation, air conditioning, and filtration systems play a crucial role in improving indoor air quality. This study investigated the effectiveness of Air Purifier Units (APUs) in reducing MP concentrations in office environments within a Malaysian university. The efficiency of APUs can vary depending on factors such as purifier type, filtration method, airflow rate, and room size. The results demonstrated a 35% average reduction in MP counts when APUs were operational, regardless of whether air vents were open or closed. Specifically, with air vents open, MP counts decreased from 1273.8 to 825.5 when the APU was on. Similarly, with air vents closed, counts dropped from 1272.4 to 831.5. These findings were further validated through statistical analysis using the Shapiro-Wilk test for normality and the Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, and Dunn’s test for group comparisons. The study’s findings highlight the significant impact of APUs in mitigating airborne MP exposure, contributing to improved indoor air quality and reducing potential health risks associated with MP inhalation. These results provide valuable insights for building managers, policymakers, and individuals seeking to create healthier indoor environments.https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2024/119/e3sconf_icongeet2024_01001.pdf |
| spellingShingle | Dewika M. Markandan Kalaimani Nagaratnam Shalini Irfan N. Ahmad Jamian Nor Ruwaida Yusuf Sara Yasina Khalid Mohammad Wong Alexander H.M. Chin W.M. Identification and Mitigation of Deposited Indoor Air Microplastics in an Office Environment in Kuala Lumpur E3S Web of Conferences |
| title | Identification and Mitigation of Deposited Indoor Air Microplastics in an Office Environment in Kuala Lumpur |
| title_full | Identification and Mitigation of Deposited Indoor Air Microplastics in an Office Environment in Kuala Lumpur |
| title_fullStr | Identification and Mitigation of Deposited Indoor Air Microplastics in an Office Environment in Kuala Lumpur |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification and Mitigation of Deposited Indoor Air Microplastics in an Office Environment in Kuala Lumpur |
| title_short | Identification and Mitigation of Deposited Indoor Air Microplastics in an Office Environment in Kuala Lumpur |
| title_sort | identification and mitigation of deposited indoor air microplastics in an office environment in kuala lumpur |
| url | https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2024/119/e3sconf_icongeet2024_01001.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dewikam identificationandmitigationofdepositedindoorairmicroplasticsinanofficeenvironmentinkualalumpur AT markandankalaimani identificationandmitigationofdepositedindoorairmicroplasticsinanofficeenvironmentinkualalumpur AT nagaratnamshalini identificationandmitigationofdepositedindoorairmicroplasticsinanofficeenvironmentinkualalumpur AT irfannahmad identificationandmitigationofdepositedindoorairmicroplasticsinanofficeenvironmentinkualalumpur AT jamiannorruwaida identificationandmitigationofdepositedindoorairmicroplasticsinanofficeenvironmentinkualalumpur AT yusufsarayasina identificationandmitigationofdepositedindoorairmicroplasticsinanofficeenvironmentinkualalumpur AT khalidmohammad identificationandmitigationofdepositedindoorairmicroplasticsinanofficeenvironmentinkualalumpur AT wongalexanderhm identificationandmitigationofdepositedindoorairmicroplasticsinanofficeenvironmentinkualalumpur AT chinwm identificationandmitigationofdepositedindoorairmicroplasticsinanofficeenvironmentinkualalumpur |