How to prevent external odors from entering the pharmaceutical packaging area?

Environmental requirements for pharmaceutical packaging areas are often more specific than for general production areas. In addition to particle and microbial control, some projects will also focus on odor - external odors entering the packaging area may affect the sensory evaluation of the product and may also be focused on in audits.

But odor control cannot be solved by just one layer of odor removal filter. There may be more than one path for external odors to enter the packaging area: fresh air vents, logistics doors, gaps in adjacent areas, and return air systems may all become input channels. It is more effective to find where the odor comes from first and then decide how to deal with it than to install a filter element directly. For specific selection logic, please refer to Discussion of what chemical filters are and what problems they are mainly used to solve .

Positioning input link

There are several common paths for odors to enter the packaging area.

Fresh air entrance. If the fresh air outlet is near an external source of pollution—such as industrial emissions, traffic arteries, garbage dumps, or sewage treatment facilities—external odors may enter with the fresh air. This is the most common external input path. For specific evaluation methods, please refer to The factory is close to the source of pollution, and the discussion on how to match the relocation of the air inlet with chemical filtration is discussed.

Logistics doors and personnel passages. Packaging areas usually have access to materials and personnel. When the door is open, outside air may enter for a short time. If the odor is present in the adjacent area itself, it may also spread through the door area.

Gaps in the building envelope. If positive pressure is maintained in the packaging area, outside air will usually not enter through gaps. However, if the pressure differential control is unstable or the building is poorly sealed, gaps may also become input channels.

Shared return air system. If the packaging area shares return air with other areas, odors from other areas may enter the packaging area through the return air system. In this case, it is necessary to check the relationship between the return air zone and the pressure difference. For specific differences, please refer to Discussion on how odors in multi-story factory buildings interact with each other and how chemical filtration should be partitioned .

The time period and location of occurrence should be recorded, and the air at the entrance and packaging area should be compared. You can’t just smell the smell indoors to determine the source. For specific sampling methods, please refer to whether to do air sampling before choosing a chemical filter . Discuss

Match target gas

After confirming the input path, check the odor composition and medium suitability.

The smell comes from different sources and has different ingredients. Industrial emissions may bring acidic gases or organic vapors; sewage facilities may release sulfides or ammonia; traffic exhaust may contain nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons. Different ingredients require different chemical filter media. For specific differences, please refer to Discussion of whether chemical filters can remove ammonia from the air .

Testing should focus on the main ingredients. If you only measure TVOC, it may not accurately reflect the concentration of sulfur- or nitrogen-containing components. Corresponding test items should be selected based on the source of suspicion.

Check the cleanliness compatibility of the filter media. Pharmaceutical projects may have requirements for filter outgassing and powder loss. When selecting, confirm whether the chemical medium meets the cleanliness requirements of the packaging area. For specific verification methods, please refer to Discussion on how to verify the low outgassing requirements of ULPA .

Requirements in GxP related areas need to be evaluated according to the quality system. If the packaging area falls under GxP control, filter selection, replacement and verification should follow the project's applicable specifications and quality documents.

Treat the air path first

Before considering chemical filtration, check that the air path is reasonable.

Maintain positive pressure. Packaging areas usually need to maintain positive pressure to the outside or adjacent areas to reduce outside air infiltration. Check whether the pressure difference is stable and whether there is still sufficient positive pressure when the door is opened.

Optimize door area management. Logistics doors and personnel passages can be equipped with buffer rooms or air curtains to reduce air exchange when opening the doors. How often and when doors are opened should also be managed.

Check the return air zoning. If the packaging area shares return air with other areas, evaluate whether zoning needs to be adjusted or isolation measures added.

Assessment of new air outlet locations. If the new air outlet is close to the pollution source, consider adjusting the location or adding pretreatment. For specific methods, please refer to The factory is close to the source of pollution, and the discussion on how to match the relocation of the air inlet with chemical filtration is discussed.

These measures can reduce the odor load entering the packaging area and reduce the burden on subsequent filtration stages. Chemical filtration is a supplement, not a replacement for air path management.

Chemical filtration section configuration

If you still have odor issues after air path optimization, a chemical filtration section can be evaluated.

Fresh air section filtration. Set up a chemical filtration section in the fresh air unit to process the externally input gas. For specific configuration, please refer to Discussion on why MAU needs to configure chemical filtration section .

Return air section filtration. If the odor comes from adjacent areas or is released internally, a chemical filtration section can be installed on the return air path.

Local protection. If only some workstations are odor sensitive, localized filtration options can be evaluated. For specific configuration, please refer to Discussion of what localized contamination can be treated by FFU plus chemical filter .

The resistance of the filter section needs to be calculated. After adding a chemical filtration section, the total resistance of the system changes. It is necessary to check the fan margin to confirm that the air supply volume meets the requirements. For specific methods, please refer to Discussion of how much the added resistance of the chemical filter will increase the fan's electricity consumption .

Replacement cycles and maintenance access. The replacement cycle of the chemical filter section is different from that of the particle filter, and the maintenance access must be confirmed during the design stage. involving MAU box chemical filter or The FFU supporting chemical filter system, interface and resistance need to be checked together.

Verify normal operation status

After the system is running, the effect verification must cover the actual production status.

The detection needs to cover personnel logistics activities and normal air volume. Just because the static room is odor-free does not mean that inputs during production have been controlled. It should be tested under normal production, door opening, personnel activities, etc. conditions.

Inlet-outlet paired sampling. Samples are taken before and after the filtering section to determine the filtering effect. Sampling points should be representative of actual airflow.

Record production status and ventilation conditions. The operating status of the equipment, ventilation volume, and door area status during sampling should be recorded to facilitate subsequent analysis. For specific methods, please refer to Discussion of sampling points for chemical filter performance verification .

Follow up regularly. Odor problems may vary with the season, wind direction, or external emissions. Regularly testing the outlet concentration and sensory feedback can help determine whether the filter section needs to be replaced or adjusted.

Project judgment example

A certain pharmaceutical packaging area reported occasional external odor, which was more obvious when the logistics door was opened.

The preliminary plan considers adding a deodorizing filter to the fresh air section. However, the investigation found that the concentration of organic matter in the fresh air was low, and the main input path was the logistics door. When the door is open, air from the adjacent area enters the packaging area.

Adjustment plan: First optimize door area management, set up buffering and positive pressure control; at the same time, increase local exhaust in adjacent areas to reduce odor sources. On this basis, according to the detected odor components, the corresponding chemical filtration section is configured in the fresh air section as an auxiliary. After the adjustment, the odor problem in the packaging area was significantly improved.

This case illustrates: To avoid external odors in the pharmaceutical packaging area, check the air path first and then consider chemical filtration. involving When selecting a chemical filter product series , it is recommended that the odor source, air path and system conditions be provided to the supplier for verification.

Key points for selection and acceptance inspection

About Aili Industrial's pharmaceutical packaging area filtration package

The core of odor control in the pharmaceutical packaging area is to match the input path, pollution components and cleanliness requirements, and then select a matching filtration solution.

Aili Industrial has independent manufacturing capabilities in filters, motors, fans, control systems and sheet metal processing, and can provide chemical filter product series and supporting air supply equipment. For pharmaceutical packaging area projects, you can help check the configuration of the chemical filtration section based on odor sources, air paths, cleanliness requirements and system conditions. When the filter is matched with MAU, FFU, EFU and other equipment, the resistance, interface and maintenance methods can be confirmed uniformly.

Related products:Chemical filter product series、MAU box chemical filter、FFU comes with chemical filter . Providing odor sources, air paths and system conditions with your inquiry will help confirm the appropriate filtration solution. The specific selection is subject to the technical documents and test results confirmed by the project.