Skulberg K R, Skyberg K, Kruse K, Eduard W, Levy F, Kongerud J, Djupesland P
National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway.
Indoor Air. 2005 Jun;15(3):152-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2005.00331.x.
The aim of this intervention study was to identify any health improvements in the upper and lower airways of office workers after the installation of local electrostatic air cleaners. Eighty persons with airways symptoms were recruited and randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Half of the air cleaners had a non-functioning electrostatic unit. Both participants and field researchers were blinded to the group status. Subjective symptoms were recorded using a questionnaire, and indexes calculated for general, irritation and skin symptoms. Objective respiratory health indicators were recorded, with acoustic rhinometry and peak expiratory flow (PEF) meters. In the intervention group there was a decrease in mean dust concentration from 65 to 35 microg/m(3), and a reduction from 57 to 47 microg/m(3) in the control group (P < 0.05 for difference in decline). The reduction was observed for all particles sizes. The irritation and general symptom indices decreased in both groups, but there was no improvement in the intervention group, compared with the control group. Median PEF increased 3 ml/s in the intervention group, and decreased 4 ml/s in the control group. The adjusted odds ratio for an increase above the 70th percentile was 5.7 (95% CI 1.0-32).
Electrostatic air cleaners can reduce the dust concentration effectively in the office environment. Small, medium and large sized particles can be reduced by approximately 50%, relatively most effectively for the respirable particles. However, the air cleaners tested in this study produced an annoying fan noise. Cleaning efficiency and noise data should be given consideration before installation. This experimental field study suggests that office workers with airways symptoms may benefit from installation of local electrostatic air cleaners.
本干预研究的目的是确定在办公室安装局部静电空气净化器后，办公室工作人员上、下呼吸道健康状况是否有所改善。招募了80名有呼吸道症状的人员，并随机分为干预组或对照组。一半的空气净化器静电装置不起作用。参与者和现场研究人员均不知晓分组情况。使用问卷记录主观症状，并计算一般症状、刺激症状和皮肤症状的指标。使用鼻声反射仪和呼气峰值流速（PEF）仪记录客观呼吸健康指标。干预组的平均粉尘浓度从65微克/立方米降至35微克/立方米，对照组从57微克/立方米降至47微克/立方米（下降差异P<0.05）。所有粒径的粉尘浓度均有下降。两组的刺激症状和一般症状指标均下降，但与对照组相比，干预组无改善。干预组的PEF中位数增加了3毫升/秒，对照组下降了4毫升/秒。高于第70百分位数增加的调整优势比为5.7（95%可信区间1.0 - 32）。
静电空气净化器可有效降低办公环境中的粉尘浓度。小、中、大粒径颗粒可减少约50%，对可吸入颗粒的减少最为有效。然而，本研究中测试的空气净化器产生了恼人的风扇噪音。安装前应考虑清洁效率和噪音数据。这项现场实验研究表明，有呼吸道症状的办公室工作人员可能会从安装局部静电空气净化器中受益。
