INTRODUCTION
Home air purifiers are machines designed specifically to filter the air in a room. This machine removes the contaminants from the air in the room to improve the quality of the air. This device is marketed for the benefit of asthmatics and people prone to dust allergies to reduce the secondary contaminants in the air they breathe. However, there are some side effects of these air purifiers as well.
These air purifiers claim to be reliable for air indoor, but do they completely clean the air in a single room or household?,,,,,, We will discuss this in this blog today.
There are different types of air purifiers in the market that can be harmful, and being skeptical about them is not wrong because buying these purifiers may damage the health of a person.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF GASEOUS POLLUTANTS:-
They may include
– Inorganic gases like carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.
– Ozone
– Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs).
These VOCs are gaseous emissions from many products containing organic chemicals, including household products.
– Smoke
It can also be a gaseous pollutant that contains tobacco (cigars, cigarettes, other smoked substances ), wood burning, vaping, idling cars, and buses.
[#Idling is when a driver leaves the engine running and the vehicle parked.]
ALLERGENS
Allergens are substances that lead to the symptoms of allergies, asthma, or respiratory problems.
According to the ASTHMA AND ALLERGY FOUNDATION OF AMERICA, 8 out of 10 people suffer from respiratory problems caused when they are exposed to allergens some of the different types of allergens are
- POLLENS:- Pollen grains are usually outdoors and enter the room through the minute open space in windows, doors, and other ventilation.
- Pet dander:- Pet dander is composed of tiny flecks of skin shed by cats, dogs, rodents, birds, and other animals with fur or feathers.
- COCKROACHES:- Cockroaches shed allergens, chitins, endotoxins, and other substances to which humans may be allergic.
TYPES OF AIR PURIFIERS:-
1. OZONE AIR PURIFIER
The ozone air purifier generally emits ozone into the air. Unfortunately, these days there are many ozone air purifiers produced and sold in the market.
Ozone is usually said that they kill germs and remove bad odors in the air. But a small quantity of ozone cannot kill or eradicate the germs completely hence a large amount of ozone is needed to kill the germs but a large amount of ozone exposed to any human is very dangerous.
SIDE EFFECTS of Ozone Air Purifier
Breathing high ozone content from the air may have severe side effects on human health some of them are headache, coughing, and dry throat high level of exposure may lead to lung damage.
2. AIR IONIZER PURIFIER
Air ionizer emits ions in the air, making bacteria and viruses stick to the wall by making them inactive.
But how effective these kinds of purifiers are questionable as the ions have to emit in large amounts to make those viruses and bacteria inactive. In the process of emitting ions, these purifiers emit a certain amount of ozone which is a by-product of processing these charged ions.
Hence, while purchasing these purifiers, we must carefully check the description, which mentions ‘zero ozone.’ Air ionizer has the same side effects as an ozone air purifier, which is mentioned above
3. UV AIR PURIFIERS
As mentioned in the above two purifiers, they also release ozone as their by-product. These devices use UV light technology to capture the air in the room and pass it through the filter then, the air is purified through these filters and released back into the room. However, air pollutants and chemical reactions still lead to ozone formation at the ground level.
SIDE EFFECTS of UV AIR PURIFIERS
Breathing the purified air released through these UV light purifiers may cause some side effects, they are coughing, sore throat, inflammation of the airways, lung disease, and symptoms of asthma.
Apart from the side effects of these air purifiers on the health of living beings, there are some effects even on the environment also, which are –
– Reduce the agricultural crops
– Commercial forest yields
– Reduced growth and survival ability of trees and plants
– Increased susceptibility to disease
– Harsh weather.
HOW TO REDUCE THESE SIDE EFFECTS OF HOME AIR PURIFIERS
Using HEPA filters may help in avoiding the side effects of these purifiers.
HEPA (high-efficiency particle arresting) filters remove the majority of harmful particles, including mold spores, dust, pet dander, etc. replacing old filters at proper intervals is a must otherwise, it may lead to the inhaling of toxic air.
HEPA filters usually avoid the release of ozone and other harmful gas, which is dangerous to human health.
While cleaning these filters, it is necessary to check if the container is sealed tightly so that dust, bacteria, and virus do not reenter the air.
Make the proper decision in the selection of filters by reading the guidelines.
THANK YOU
MEDICAL ADVICE DISCLAIMER:
This blog including information, content, references, and opinions, is for informational purposes only.
The Author does not provide any medical advice on this platform.
Viewing, accessing, or reading this blog does not establish any doctor-patient relationship.
The information provided in this blog does not replace the services and opinions of a qualified medical professional who examines you and then prescribes medicines.
And if you have any questions of medical nature, please refer to your doctor or qualified medical personnel for evaluation and management at a clinic/hospital near you.
The content provided in this blog represents the Author’s own interpretation of research articles.