Environmental Test Chamber Studies Ensure Product Efficacy

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the indoor air quality worries of businesses around the country. This is a well-founded concern. However, in the rush to increase ventilation and purify indoor air, many companies purchase subpar products that have undergone limited studies in labs that do not accurately create the real-world situations in which they will be used. By contrast, Pure Air Control Service’s EDLab tests products in an environmental test chamber (ETC) that simulates real-world scenarios. 

This includes testing on technologies such as UVC/UVGI, needlepoint bipolar ionization, filtration, and a combination of air purification technologies that deal with SARS-CoV-2. Using an inadequate environmental lab chamber to test products leads to inaccurate results. This, of course, puts building occupants at risk.

The Environmental Test Chamber

The Pure Air Control Service’s EDLab is accredited by the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) and is a certified member of the CDC Elite program. As well, it is one of only a few environmental test chambers in North America. This state-of-the-art facility tests the effectiveness of air-cleaning and air filtration devices against bioaerosols and aerosols. 

The dimensions of the ETC’s experimental chamber are 10’ x 10’ x 8’ with an anteroom that is 4’ x 10’ x 8’. It is here that the EDLab uses controlled, customized test conditions in real-time with sensors monitoring such data as:

• Room pressurization
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Particle counts
• Carbon dioxide
• Volatile organic compounds

The lab tests products and equipment for efficacy which includes air conditioning equipment, vacuum cleaners, cleaning products, floor coverings, textiles, clothing, and asthma and allergy products as well as air-cleaning devices. 

After testing, a detailed report provides data logs and photo documentation. This information certifies efficacy but also assists with any needed product design changes. Using products tested by an accredited lab with an environmental test chamber ensures the safety of building occupants. 

Improved Results & Quality Control

The EDLab’s ETC provides efficacy testing to help companies build products and technologies that are safe use in buildings. It allows for the better management of microbial factors too. Establishing quality control is another benefit of using an accredited environmental test chamber. 

Through the use of standard operating protocols, product and technology testing ensures compliance with state laws and guidelines. For example, the EPA sets the level of unsafe ozone at 77 parts per billion. While there is no federal oversight or enforcement when it comes to these technologies, California bans the sale of devices that exceed this level. With testing performed in an environmental testing chamber, data reported provides valuable insights so changes can be made to comply with that law.

Testing also helps the products meet industry standards. In short, rigorous testing provides the best results and leads to the development of the most effective products. Concerns over indoor air quality must be addressed by an accredited lab that provides aerobiological, microbiological, and other environmental efficacy tests.

Learn More About Our Environmental Test Chamber

Of course, Pure Air Control Services provides an array of other services to improve IAQ. From Environment Project Management to our Building Sciences suite of services that include a complete Building Health Check, HVAC Assessment, and IAQ Guard Monitoring to track indoor environmental conditions around the clock. To learn more, contact Pure Air Control Services today. Call 1-800-422-7873 or email us here.