We are happy to announce that the article “Review of Current and Future Indoor Air Purifying Technologies” by Prof. Tarun Gupta, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and co-authors, published in ACS ES&T Engineering (2024), has won the 2024 ACS ES&T Engineering Best Paper Award.

The award is formally announced in the November 2025 issue of ACS ES&T Engineering, where it is featured on the journal’s front cover.

Abstract

Air pollution poses the greatest risk of death for humans and has become a global cause of concern. The global population spends an average of 90% of their time indoors; therefore, the significance of indoor air quality (IAQ) on human health comes to the forefront. Most households, offices, restaurants, and other indoor places, whether in rural or urban areas, are facing the problem of indoor air pollution (IAP). This review begins by elucidating the health impact analysis of IAP and drawing parallels and distinctions between outdoor and indoor air pollution. This paper synthesizes a critical examination of existing commercial indoor air purifiers and sheds light on their limitations and drawbacks through a comprehensive review of the literature. The review then pivots toward the exploration of new technologies poised to revolutionize indoor air purification. From advanced filter manufacturing techniques to regenerating photocatalytic oxidation, this review outlines the possibilities to shape next-generation indoor air purifiers. Simultaneously, it discusses challenges holding back the integration of these technologies into commercial applications.

Read the full article at: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsestengg.4c00460