RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article T1 Recent advances in biological systems for improving indoor air quality A1 Kraakman, Norbertus Joannes Richardus A1 González Martín, Javier A1 Pérez, Cristina A1 Lebrero Fernández, Raquel A1 Muñoz Torre, Raúl K1 Sistemas biológicos K1 Biological systems K1 Aire interior K1 22 Física K1 2206 Física Molecular AB Studies on human exposure to indoor air pollution reveal that indoor environments could be at least twice as polluted as outdoor environments. Indoor air pollution has not received as much attention than outdoor air pollution, despite an adult spending now most of the time indoors as a result of the global shift in the economy from the manufacturing sector towards the service and knowledge-based sectors, which operate in indoor office environments. Additionally, the health threats caused by a long-term exposure to indoor air pollution have become more apparent over the last decades as buildings are progressively sealed against the outside climate conditions to obtain heating and cooling energy cost savings and in response to stricter safety guidelines. Currently there is not a single technology that can efficiently provide a complete and satisfactory purification of indoor air. Biological systems for improving indoor air quality are promising, but challenges need to be examined to properly address the bioavailability of low pollutant concentrations, guarantee microbial safety, and incorporate CO2-removal. This study presents the recent research advances in biological indoor air purification methods as a ‘green’ alternative to physical–chemical methods, with emphasis on current challenges and opportunities it can provide for improving Indoor Environment Quality, building energy cost savings and improvements on indoor comfort and well-being. PB Springer Verlag SN 1569-1705 YR 2021 FD 2021 LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/46642 UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/46642 LA eng NO Reviews in Environmental Science and Biotechnology, 2021, vol. 20, n. 2, p. 363–387 NO Producción Científica DS UVaDOC RD 12-sep-2024