The truth about Ionizing air cleaners
Several popular brands of ionizing air cleaners are available today like the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze, Brookstone Pure-Ion, Ionic Pro, IonizAir, and others. These portable devices are ion generators that use static charges to remove particles from indoor air. They function by charging the particles in a room, causing an attraction of pollutants to walls, floors, table tops, draperies, occupants, etc. Some of these devices contain a collector plate to attract and collect the charged particles inside the unit.
Studies by the scientific community and a leading consumer publication have demonstrated that these devices do a poor job of filtering and cleaning the air, and even worse, they can generate possibly unhealthy levels of ozone.
Ozone Chemistry
Ozone is an unstable molecule composed of three oxygen atoms (in contrast to the air we breathe which contains two oxygen atoms). The third oxygen atom in ozone can detach from the ozone molecule, reattaching to molecules in other substances, altering their chemical composition.
While the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere is beneficial and protects us from harmful ultraviolet rays, at ground level, ozone is an irritant that can cause decreased lung function and aggravate asthma. In fact, the EPA refers to ozone as “Good up high— bad nearby”.
Effective Air Cleaners?
Independent studies have shown that ionizing air cleaners are not effective in cleaning the air and improving indoor air quality. Despite the manufacturer’s claims, all the models listed above received ratings of “Poor” for removal of dust, smoke and pollen. The ionization process (which generates ozone) is often touted as the key to removing indoor air contaminants. There is considerable scientific evidence that demonstrates that ozone has little potential to remove contaminants at concentrations that do not exceed public health standards. These units lack the ability to move adequate amounts of air for thorough filtration, in contrast to a typical geothermal unit that circulates and filters the entire volume of air in a 2500 sq. ft. home in about 15 minutes.
Dangerous Levels of Ozone
Manufacturers of ionizing air cleaners often make statements leading the public to believe that these devices are always safe. Some even use terms like “energized oxygen”, “super activated oxygen” or “pure air” to suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen. In fact, ozone is a toxic gas with vastly different chemical and toxicological properties from oxygen.
Several federal agencies have established health standards and recommendations to limit exposure to ozone.
Ionizing air cleaners are not regulated by the EPA (which regulates outdoor air) or the Food and Drug Administration because they are not classified as medical devices. Therefore, potentially harmful levels of ozone generated are not within the scope of programs designed to protect consumers.
Independent tests have confirmed that ionizing air cleaners can produce levels of ozone 5-10 times higher than public health limits. Not only can the levels of ozone be a health issue, but reactions between ozone and other chemicals may also produce harmful health effects. In one laboratory experiment, chemicals from new carpet were mixed with ozone. Although the ozone did in fact reduce the chemicals, the resulting reaction produced a variety of aldehydes, and the total concentration of organic chemicals in the air actually increased. Aldehydes are known to be an irritant to the lungs.
Recommendation
Based on the available scientific evidence and independent reports in noted consumer publications, the ability of these devices to clean air is very low, and much less effective than other filtration products on the market today. Further, the potential health risks associated with the high levels or ozone generated make these products questionable at best, and possibly even detrimental to human health. The American Lung Association suggests that ozone generators should not be used.