History of implementation of Nanotechnology in the novel air purifiers with a special reference in reduction of Pollen, Mold Spore and PM2.5 Indices

Date

2024-03-07

Authors

Nguyen, Marytrihn
Burciaga, Betty
Ghosh, Nabarun

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Abstract

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) has become a major concern for the public health. Global warming exerts substantial effect on flora and fauna. Increasing greenhouse gases cause accelerated pollinosis and fungal spore production, two major aeroallergens for asthma and allergies. We used a Burkard Spore Trap for aeroallergen sampling that provided us with the information regarding the onset, duration, and severity of the pollen season that clinicians use to guide allergen selection for skin testing and treatment. We also used pollen grains from different plant species of our locality for identifying and characterizing the pollen through Scanning Electron Microscopy. We examined the samples with an SEM (TM-1000) after gold coating and Critical Point Drying. We measured the pollen grains using the TM-1000-imaging software that revealed the micro-morphology with the size of colpi, sulci and the detailed microstructures. This information can aid data for classification and circumscription in Angiosperm taxonomy. For viewing the fluorescence in pollen, we used 2-3 drops of Fluorescein-based dyes with deionized water on the slides. The slides were mounted and observed under the microscope. During the last two decades, the use of SEM has greatly increased our knowledge of the microstructure of pollen. Mature pollen grains are stable in a vacuum: this allows quick preparation for SEM examination. The low level of technical expenditure required, in combination with the high structural diversity exhibited and the intuitive ability to understand the "three dimensional", often aesthetically appealing micro-structures visualized, has turned pollen studies into a favorite tool of many taxonomists. The daily weather was recorded including temperature, wind speed, precipitation, humidity, average soil temperatures. This allowed the estimation of the clinical significance of the various pollen types by combining data concerning in vivo allergenicity and terminal velocity as a means to judge the clinical significance. Presently our Laboratory has been focusing on the issues of PM2.5 pollution. Particulate matter of 2.5 micron is a major issue in Global Air Pollution. WHO reports that a very high number of people die every year due to this particulate pollution. With is current scenario of air pollution we have targeted in developing an advanced level of air purifier to solve the problem of Indoor Air Quality or IAQ. Global economies are so tightly interconnected that companies, governments and industries will soon be forced to cooperate in ways we could not have imagined just a few years ago. Innovations in technology continue to have massive effects on business and society. We're now seeing emerging markets become hotbeds of innovation, especially in efforts to reach the growing middle class and low- income consumers around the globe. This report covers the information on how a Nanotechnology research product was developed and marketed in many countries. Collaboration between the corporate worlds with academia has been proved to be beneficial in scientific inventions. With the increased population growth and industrial expansions most of the cities are experiencing poor air quality. Global warming exerts substantial effect on flora and fauna all over the world. Increasing greenhouse gasses causing accelerated pollinosis and fungal spore production, two major aeroallergens for asthma and allergy symptoms. We are in the need of a much-advanced air purifier that works without filter and improve the air quality with a greater extent than the existing air purifiers in the market. We have been working in developing an efficient device to reduce the indoor aeroallergen to alleviate the symptoms of allergy and asthma. Collaboration between Dr. Ghosh's Aerobiology Lab at the West Texas A&M University and air purifier industries developed a nanotechnology called Advanced Hydrated Photocatalytic Oxidation (AHPCO) technology. This technology has been used for building novel filter-less air purifiers, cell phone sanitizers, food preservation equ

Description

Presently our Laboratory has been focusing on the issues of PM2.5 pollution. Particulate matter of 2.5 micron is a major issue in Global Air Pollution. WHO reports that a very high number of people die every year due to this particulate pollution. With is current scenario of air pollution we have targeted in developing an advanced level of air purifier to solve the problem of Indoor Air Quality or IAQ. Global economies are so tightly interconnected that companies, governments and industries will soon be forced to cooperate in ways we could not have imagined just a few years ago. Innovations in technology continue to have massive effects on business and society. We're now seeing emerging markets become hotbeds of innovation, especially in efforts to reach the growing middle class and low- income consumers around the globe. This report covers the information on how a Nanotechnology research product was developed and marketed in many countries. Collaboration between the corporate worlds with academia has been proved to be beneficial in scientific inventions. With the increased population growth and industrial expansions most of the cities are experiencing poor air quality. Global warming exerts substantial effect on flora and fauna all over the world. Increasing greenhouse gasses causing accelerated pollinosis and fungal spore production, two major aeroallergens for asthma and allergy symptoms. We are in the need of a much-advanced air purifier that works without filter and improve the air quality with a greater extent than the existing air purifiers in the market. We have been working in developing an efficient device to reduce the indoor aeroallergen to alleviate the symptoms of allergy and asthma. Collaboration between Dr. Ghosh's Aerobiology Lab at the West Texas A&M University and air purifier industries developed a nanotechnology called Advanced Hydrated Photocatalytic Oxidation (AHPCO) technology. This technology has been used for building novel filter-less air purifiers, cell phone sanitizers, food preservation equipment and electronic AFL masks for preventing COVID-10 and other airborne diseases. Literature Review: 1. Estrada, G. Effect of Meteorological Factors on Aeroallergens of Texas Panhandle and a Comparative Account with Albuquerque, NM. MS Thesis, West Texas A&M University, 2014, 33. 2. Ghosh N., Patten, B.. Lewellen, G. T., Saadeh, C., Gaylor, M., Aeroallergen survey of the Texas Panhandle using a Burkard Volumetric Spore Trap. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2003b, 111(2), S91. 3. Ghosh, N., Camacho, R., Schniederjan, E., Saadeh, C., Gaylor, M. Correlation between the meteorological conditions with the aeroallergen concentration in the Texas Panhandle. Texas Journal of Microscopy. 2003a, 34(1), 12-13. 4. Ghosh, N., Saadeh, C., Gaylor, M. Quantification and characterizing the Aeroallergen by scanning and analyzing the tapes from the Burkard Spore-trap, Journal of Scanning Microscopies, 2006, 28(2), 127-128. 5. Ghosh, N., R. Camacho, C. Saadeh and M. Gaylor. (2004a). Assessment of pollen concentration in the atmosphere of the Texas Panhandle through the use of a Burkard Volumetric Spore Trap. Texas Journal of Microscopy. Vol. 35, No.1:22-27. 6. Ghosh, N., Rene Camacho, C. Saadeh, M. Gaylor and A. Chatterjee (2004b). Aeroallergens of the Texas Panhandle: Pollen and Spores and Allergic Rhinitis. Perspectives in Cytology and Genetics. Vol. XI, 2004:503-514. 7. Muilenberg, M. and Burge, H. "Aerobiology", Lewis Publishers: Boca Raton, Florida. 18-26 (1996). 8. N. Ghosh, G. Estrada, Veloz, M., Bouyi, D., Bennert, J. Bennert, J., Saadeh, C. and Revanna, C. (2017). Meteorological and clinical analysis of aeroallergen data: Increase in allergy and asthma cases in Texas Panhandle. ALLERGY AND ALLERGEN IMMUNOTHERAPY: New Mechanisms and Strategies (2017):101-124. Book Chapter, Apple, CRC Press, New York

Keywords

2024 Faculty and Student Research Poster Session and Research Fair, West Texas A&M University, College of Agriculture and Natural Science, Poster, Pollution, Indoor air quality

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