| Ionic air purifiers exist to combat airborne | | | | party of some authority; |
| contaminants that are invisible to the human eye. | | | | - Replication - the experiment must show the |
| They employ beneficial reactive agents that are | | | | same results at different times where the |
| also invisible to users. How then shall a user know | | | | conditions are identical; |
| if the purifier is doing what it claims or just burning | | | | - Replication - different purifiers of the same |
| electricity? A good place to start would be a | | | | model must produce very similar or identical test |
| properly conducted review. A quality review must | | | | results; |
| begin by focusing on user safety. Safety, which | | | | (2) Randomized double blind testing standard - this |
| can be further classified into 2 separate | | | | is the highest standard of medical clinical testing |
| categories, has been covered at length in this | | | | where both the researcher and the test subject |
| author's 2 articles on | | | | do not know whether they are in the actual |
| An ionic air purifier review must also include 2 | | | | experiment (where the ionic air purifier is |
| other equally critical criteria: | | | | functioning) or the control experiment (where the |
| (1) Efficacy Test - the purifier technology, firmly | | | | purifier is not functioning); |
| grounded in sound scientific theory, must be | | | | (3) A proper testing location - where all known |
| proven to work in a laboratory; | | | | variable factors that can affect the performance |
| (2) Efficiency Test - the lab-tested purifier | | | | of a purifier can be controlled e.g. room size, |
| technology must be successfully transplanted into | | | | temperature, humidity, inclusion or exclusion of |
| an appliance that replicates the same laboratory | | | | ambient or outdoor air; |
| results in the users' setting at home, in school, or | | | | (4) Accurate measurements and recording - the |
| the workplace. Such demanding tests require | | | | effectiveness of a purifier can vary over time |
| substantial resources quite beyond those of the | | | | and distance, air flow speeds, consistency of |
| ordinary user. The Efficacy Test must come | | | | instrumentation etc.; |
| under the purview of a laboratory and even then, | | | | (5) Proper specialized measuring equipment |
| a GLP-certified laboratory. | | | | (images available at The Ionic Air Purifier Blog) is |
| GLP, which stands for Good Laboratory Practice | | | | commonly required, such as: |
| is a set of principles formulated by the OECD to | | | | - microbiological air sampler |
| ensure the generation of high quality and reliable | | | | - ozone tester |
| test data. The Efficiency Test is even harder to | | | | - positive & negative ion detector |
| achieve with consistency and objectivity since it | | | | - decibel meter. |
| has to be conducted on user locations. | | | | (6) Proper analytical tools and skills - these are |
| Notwithstanding these obstacles, an ionic air | | | | required to accurately measure and document the |
| purifier review must include a proper assessment | | | | test results before and after the experiment e.g. |
| of the efficacy and efficiency of the ionic air | | | | analyzing mold cultures before and after ionic air |
| purifier. Proper tests include most, if not all, of the | | | | purification; |
| following characteristics: | | | | (7) Integrity of the testing staff is critical so that |
| (1) A controlled experiment | | | | the test results are professionally documented |
| - This involves the rigorous testing of an | | | | and reliable. Where substantially all of the above |
| unproven statement known as a hypothesis; | | | | procedures have been performed on a purifier by |
| - A clear concise iteration of the science behind | | | | a GLP-certified laboratory, the results of the |
| the technology; | | | | efficacy and effectiveness tests will form very |
| - Control check - the effects of an operating ionic | | | | reliable inputs to an ionic air purifier review. It is |
| air purifier in a room must be matched against the | | | | the mission of this blog to obtain such test data |
| effects when there is no purifier present; | | | | on as many purifiers as possible, with the goal of |
| - Replication - the experiment must be capable of | | | | producing reliable, objective ionic air purifier |
| peer review, preferably by an independent third | | | | reviews for the benefit of all users. |