SICK Homes and Building

Speaker:
Sandra Thompson, Ph.D.
Attorney, Buchalter Nemer,
Irvine, CAAbstract:"Sick" homes and buildings are those spaces that contain sufficient levels of chemicals, allergens and other particles to make those who live or work in the space sick. Usually, sick buildings result from poor or inadequate ventilation, chemical contaminants from outdoor or indoor sources or biological contaminants. "Sick Building Syndrome" or SBS can cause ailments ranging from headaches, immune system issues, fatigue, dry or itchy skin, dizziness and nausea to name a few. Dr. Thompson will give a brief overview of SBS, along with discussing possible solutions to this increasing problem. One solution may be the use of corona discharges. Corona discharges can be easily tailored to accommodate and destroy complex mixtures of VOCs. The use of the corona discharge to control VOC concentration in ambient air can minimize operator maintenance, cost, and maximize efficiency, and therefore, is an attractive technology to implement for small industrial sources or from an outside air supply. The corona discharge can convert several types of VOCs ranging from toluene to CFCs and DMS into smaller, more manageable by-products. The versatility of the corona discharge, based on the production of a variety of reactive species, such as hydroxyl radical, ozone and excited oxygen atoms, and the ability of the plasma to encourage several different reactive mechanisms, is probably the most important conclusion that has come from this research. The goal of Dr. Thompson's research in this field was to investigate the properties of the corona discharge, to investigate the dominant reaction mechanisms at work in the plasma reactor, and to determine if the corona plasma could successfully convert contaminants that may be present in air to smaller, less toxic molecules. The conclusion that toluene, cyclohexane, CFCs and DMS can be converted to other products supports the hypothesis that there are several reaction mechanisms working within the reactor. The collection of reaction mechanisms and various reactive species within the plasma makes the pulsed corona discharge much more versatile and more applicable in handling several different types of contaminated air streams.

Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Evangeline Reyes