Abstract
The use of air cleaners to enhance indoor air quality under reduced ventilation has attracted increasing attention in the context of energy conservation. However, their effectiveness in removing gaseous pollutants, especially human bioeffluents, remains insufficiently understood. This study evaluated the performance of a gas-phase air cleaner equipped with modified activated carbon under conditions where bioeffluents were the dominant source of indoor pollution. Two male participants sat in a stainless-steel chamber at two temperatures （23°C and 28°C）, while an air cleaner was either operated or idled. Thirteen additional participants assessed perceived air quality, and chemical analyses were conducted to measure pollutant concentrations. The results demonstrated that human-emitted pollutants were effectively removed even under conditions marked by CO₂ concentrations exceeding 3,000 ppm. Sensory evaluations confirmed reductions in odor intensity and percentage of dissatisfaction. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the air cleaner was more pronounced at 28°C, potentially due to increased emission rates and enhanced chemical reactivity at higher temperatures. These findings suggest that gas-phase air cleaners can contribute to maintaining air quality in poorly ventilated spaces where human emissions dominate. Continued knowledge accumulation, including field validation, is needed to develop robust evaluation methods that accurately assess air cleaner effectiveness.
