Reactive Air Disinfection Technologies: Principles and Applications in Bioaerosol Removal

As COVID-19 and other infectious diseases continue to spread globally, removing airborne pathogens from confined spaces such as buildings, transportation carriers, and stations is becoming increasingly crucial to curbing transmission and reducing human infection rates. Bioaerosols can act as vectors or media that could store and transport air pollutants and pathogens. To mitigate the adverse effects of bioaerosols and effectively control epidemics, this work reviews the current state-of-the-art air purification processes and technologies available on the market or demonstrated in laboratory and industrial settings, including ozone oxidation, UV disinfection, and photocatalysis. These reactive air purification processes can be used in conjunction with adsorption or filtration-based systems to enhance disinfection besides the physical capture of particulates or the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This review aims to provide a concise yet comprehensive overview of various reactive air purification technologies. Their principles, applications, and limitations are briefly discussed to provide insight and guidelines for further development of new air purification processes to address emerging airborne contaminant issues.