Indoor ozone removal and deposition using unactivated solid and liquid coffee.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Air Quality Management
• Materials Science

Background:

• Ozone is a hazardous indoor air pollutant with adverse health effects.
• Activated carbon, often derived from coffee byproducts, is a known ozone adsorbent.
• Unactivated coffee products are ubiquitous and present a potential, novel solution for indoor ozone mitigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of unactivated coffee products in removing indoor ozone.
• To quantify ozone removal efficiency and deposition velocity for solid (powder) and liquid coffee.
• To compare coffee's ozone removal performance against established materials like activated carbon.

Main Methods:

• Experimental testing of ozone removal efficiency and deposition velocity using solid coffee powder and liquid coffee beverage.
• Inclusion of activated carbon, deionized water, and seawater as control and validation materials.
• Chemical analysis to identify the mechanisms responsible for ozone removal by coffee products.

Main Results:

• Fine coffee powder demonstrated a 58.5% ozone removal efficiency and a deposition velocity of 0.62 cm/s.
• Liquid coffee achieved a 34.4% ozone removal efficiency and a deposition velocity of 0.23 cm/s.
• Chemical analysis revealed oxidation reactions with carbohydrates (solid coffee) and metal/mineral elements (liquid coffee) as key removal mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Unactivated coffee products, particularly coffee powder, are effective in removing indoor ozone.
• Coffee offers a viable and accessible method for enhancing indoor air quality by reducing ozone concentrations.
• This research opens possibilities for utilizing common coffee products in air purification strategies.