Ozone for Air Pollution Control – Myths & Realities - a PDH Online Course for Engineers, Architects and Surveyors

Ozone for Air Pollution Control – Myths & Realities

Course Outline

With public concern about indoor air quality rising, advertising and sales of ozone generators and air purifiers is rising. Manufacturers and vendors of these devices often claim that these devices eliminate bacteria, mold, and chemical contaminants from the air, and that they help persons with asthma and allergies. This is not true or backed up by the adequate research. Independent studies by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others have shown that these devices do not effectively destroy microbes, remove odors, or reduce indoor pollutants enough to provide any health benefits.

This 3-hour course provides guidance to Ozone’s true capabilities, potential benefits and limitations in improving indoor air quality.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student will understand the pros and cons of using ozone and interpret the following myths associated with ozone generator vendor claims:

Ozone is most effective in controlling indoor air pollution;
Ozone doesn’t leave any harmful by-product or residue;
Ozone destroys the sense of smell;
Ozone can be used effectively in both occupied and unoccupied spaces;
Ozone concentration in space never exceeds design values;
Controlling ozone generators output is safe and simple;
Ozone generators are approved and notified by Federal Agencies;
Ozone is equally good for air and water pollution control;
Ozone is most suitable for healthcare disinfection;
Ozone works better than air filters;
Ozone can reduce the fresh air intake in HVAC system and therefore energy;
Low level ozone is good; and
Ozonation is similar to CO2 based demand control ventilation.

Intended Audience

This course is applicable to general public, HVAC engineers, facility engineers, architects, environmentalists, operations and maintenance personnel, as well as consultants and contractors who construct, build and manage facilities.

Benefit to Attendees

This course will help readers gaining a basic understanding the pros and cons of using ozone in controlling air pollution. This knowledge will enable the occupants or facility managers to focus upon the actions that provide the highest degree of protection.

Course Introduction

There is no question that both the quantity and quality of outside air are crucial to the comfort of occupants in air conditioned buildings and the efficacy of the air conditioning of an entire building when related to comfort may be negated by the introduction of too little or poor quality outside air. Of course when designing low energy buildings there is a pressure to minimise outdoor air in order to keep plant size small and running costs low. This subject has therefore been the recipient of a huge amount of research throughout the world since the inception of modern air conditioning and is as important now as it has ever been particularly as modern buildings are becoming more ‘tight’ and outdoor air quality, in particular in urban areas, poorer in quality.

Use of ozone generators that purposely inject ozone in the space is one such technology being promoted by manufacturers and vendors. Independent studies by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and others have shown that these devices do not effectively destroy microbes, remove odor sources, or reduce indoor pollutants enough to provide any health benefits.
This course attempts to address the common vendor claims and myths associated with use of ozone in indoor spaces.

Course Content

This course content is in the following PDF document:

Ozone for Air Pollution Control – Myths & Realities

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Course Summary

Indoor air pollutants are unwanted, sometimes harmful materials in the air. They range from dusts to chemicals to radon. While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects, there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems. People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants. Further research is needed to better understand which health effects occur after exposure to the average pollutant concentrations found in homes and which occur from the higher concentrations that occur for short periods of time.

Three strategies (in order of effectiveness) that may be used to reduce indoor air pollutants are source control, ventilation, and air cleaning. Air cleaning may achieve an additional reduction in the levels of certain pollutants when source control and ventilation do not result in acceptable pollutant concentrations. However, air cleaning alone cannot be expected to adequately remove all of the pollutants present in the typical indoor air environment.

Ozone enrichment of indoor air is being suggested as a method of cleaning the air. Whether in its pure form or mixed with other chemicals, ozone can be harmful to health. When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs. Relatively low amounts of ozone can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and, throat irritation. It may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma as well as compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections. Some studies show that ozone concentrations produced by ozone generators can exceed health standards even when one follows manufacturer’s instructions. Available scientific evidence shows that, at concentrations that do not exceed public health standards, ozone is generally ineffective in controlling indoor air pollution.

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.