and synthetic textile fibers alternately one layer of the mat or one layer may be all cellulosic fibers and another layer of the mat be all synthetic textile layer of the mat may be all cellulosic fibers and another layer of the mat be all synthetic textile fibers with yet a further layer of the mat may be a mixture of synthetic textile fibers and cellulosic fibers a wide variety of synthetic fibers may be used including acrylic fibers polyester fibers nylon fibers olefin fibers and vinyl fibers and the like the cellulosic fiber may be cellulose fibers modified cellulose fibers methylcellulose fibers rayon and cotton fibers although cellulose fibers are preferred deposited on the fibers is a synthetic binder the binder is designed to connect the fibers together and can be chosen from a wide variety of binders including an acrylic latex a vinyl latex an acrylonitrile latex and an crylate latex the binder substantially covers the surface area of the fibers i e at least 50 of the fiber surface area and is in an amount sufficient to bind the fibers together within the mat an absorbent powder preferably in particle form is disposed on the binder the absorbent powder may be a variety of powders such as activated carbon diatomaceous earth fuller 39 s earth and the like portions of the particles contact and are embedded into the binder but portions of the particles protrude out of the binder and are free from and do not substantially contact the binder those protruding portions are therefore available to absorb odors as the air passes through the filter layer as can be appreciated odor removal section 76 is also designed to remove particles in the air that have passed through filter layer 30 the particle removal.