Simple DIY Air Filter Found to Be Extremely Effective in Filtering Indoor Air Pollutants, New Study Finds

A simple DIY air filter could be an extremely effective way to filter out indoor air pollutants, according to a new study.

Source: UC Davis College of Engineering/YouTube

The study from researchers at Brown University and Silent Spring Institute found that an inexpensive and easy-to-assemble Corsi-Rosenthal box can help reduce exposure to indoor air pollutants. The Corsi-Rosenthal box is an air filtration device that has proven to be very effective at reducing indoor air pollutants.

Researchers analyzed the effectiveness of Corsi-Rosenthal boxes installed at the School of Public Health to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Lowering indoor air concentrations can improve human health, lead author Joseph Braun, an associate professor of epidemiology at Brown, said.

“The findings show that an inexpensive, easy-to-construct air filter can protect against illness caused not only by viruses but also by chemical pollutants,” Braun said. “This type of highly-accessible public health intervention can empower community groups to take steps to improve their air quality and therefore, their health.”

The Corsi-Rosenthal boxes can be made from simple materials found at hardware stores, including four MERV-13 filters, duct tape, a 20-inch box fan, and a cardboard box. The boxes were made and assembled on campus before they were installed in the School of Public Health and other buildings on the campus.

The researchers compared the room’s concentrations of semi-volatile organic compounds before and during the use of the box. The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, found that the boxes decreased the concentrations of several PFAS and phthalates in 17 rooms during the period they were used.

“The reduction of PFAS and phthalate levels is a wonderful co-benefit to the Corsi-Rosenthal boxes,” said study co-author Robin Dodson, a research scientist at Silent Spring Institute and expert in chemical exposures in the indoor environment. “These boxes are accessible, easy to make and relatively inexpensive, and they’re currently being used in universities and homes across the country.”

This is groundbreaking and is a super simple and easy way that everyone can filter their air!

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