Effects of the use of air purifier on indoor environment and respiratory system among healthy adults.

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K09169
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Hygiene and public health
• Research Institution: Hyogo Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Yoda Yoshiko 兵庫医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (80748434)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 島 正之 兵庫医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (40226197) ; 大谷 成人 兵庫医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (10561772)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 空気清浄機 / 微小粒子状物質 / 粗大粒子 / オゾン / 肺機能 / 屋内環境 / 生活環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A crossover intervention study was conducted with 32 healthy subjects to elucidate the association between an improved indoor environment achieved by air purification and its health effects.
Indoor fine particles (PM2.5) concentrations decreased by approximately 11% with true air purifiers, as compared to those with sham air purifiers. However, this decrease was not statistically significant (p = 0.08). The air purification was found to significantly reduce PM2.5 concentrations in single-person households. The air purification did not significantly improve the respiratory function of the study subjects.
In contrast, an increase in the indoor coarse particles (PM10-2.5) concentration led to a significant decrease in the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0)/forced vital capacity (FVC). Similarly, an increase in indoor ozone (O3) concentration resulted in a significant decrease in maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF).

Free Research Field

環境疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

一般家屋を対象として、空気清浄機の使用によりわずかに家屋内の環境が改善されたが、有意差はみられなかった。しかし、同居のいない世帯で空気清浄機によりPM2.5の有意な低減効果が見られ、家庭内の生活環境によって濃度に差があることがわかった。また、空気清浄機による健康影響の改善について、明らかな効果が見られなかったが、屋内のPM10-2.5濃度とO3濃度の増加が呼吸器系に影響を及ぼすことが明らかとなった。
これらの知見は、今後、家屋内における環境の改善につながると期待される。