Indoor Air sciences CSMI Practice Exam

Which agent will not be removed by a particulate filter?

1. Mycelial mass

2. Spores

3. Hyphal fragments

4. mVOCs

The correct answer is: mVOCs

The choice of mVOCs (microbial Volatile Organic Compounds) as the agent that will not be removed by a particulate filter is appropriate because particulate filters are designed specifically to capture solid particles and larger biological entities. These filters work by trapping particles based on their size, typically emphasizing larger components such as mycelial mass, spores, and hyphal fragments. In contrast, mVOCs are gaseous compounds produced by microorganisms and can be very small in size, making it impossible for standard particulate filters to effectively capture them. Since mVOCs exist in the vapor phase, they can pass through the filter materials that are not able to trap gaseous particles, allowing them to enter the air supply unaffected. This understanding underscores the limitations of particulate filters in air purification applications, especially when dealing with volatile organic compounds generated by biological processes.