EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT HEPA FILTER MEDIA FOR REMOVING NICKEL OXIDE NANOPARTICLES FROM AIR FILTRATION

Abstract

Currently, scientific research in the field of nanotechnology has attracted growing interest because of its several applications. The metal oxides have high added value in industrial processes and in addition, human exposure to these nanoparticles can cause respiratory problems. Filtration using fibrous filters is among the various options that can be used to provide efficient elimination of nanoparticles. While it is known that fibrous filters can successfully remove microparticles present in the air, there has been little research concerning the removal of nanoparticles using nickel oxide nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of three HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter media with glass and micro-quartz fiber for the removal of nickel oxide nanoparticles. Two HEPA filter with glass fibers (H1 and H2) and one HEPA filter with micro-quartz fibers (H3). Nanoparticles were generated using an atomizer generator through a 0.1 g/L nickel oxide water suspension. The efficiency of filter media was measured using an electrical mobility particle analyzer (SMPS) coupled to the filtration line and particles were counted before and after the filter media in the size range between 7.4 and 289 nm. Both filter media had efficiency collection above 99% but H1 filter stand out among the others.