| There's been a lot of hype these days about | | | | excess of 350 billion parts per billion. When |
| whether or not the air purifiers many people have | | | | measured outside, these levels would trigger a |
| in their homes is actually causing a type of indoor | | | | Stage 2 smog alert in most U.S. cities, something |
| smog that can be more dangerous to humans | | | | that hasn't even happened in southern California |
| than some of the air found in America's dirtiest | | | | since the 1980's. |
| cities. | | | | "These ozonolysis machines are insidious," warned |
| In a recent study published by the National | | | | Barbara Riordan, acting chairperson of the |
| Science Foundation, researchers reported findings | | | | California Air Resource Board (ARB), in 2006. |
| that sent shock waves throughout the air | | | | "They emit the same chemical that the U.S. |
| purifying manufacturing industry. According to the | | | | Environmental Protection Agency has been trying |
| study's results, products that use ionic air purifiers | | | | to eliminate from our air for decades." |
| based on ozonolysis appeared to create high | | | | Even more devastating, according to Riordan, is |
| levels of ozone in the surrounding area that rivaled | | | | the fact that many people who already suffer |
| that of smog saturated areas such as Los | | | | from respiratory problems such as asthma and |
| Angeles, California. | | | | emphysema are voluntarily bringing this new |
| Ionic air purifiers work by charging airborne | | | | danger into their homes, mistakenly believing that |
| particles and then attracting them to metal | | | | it will help their condition, not worsen it over time. |
| electrodes. While the system is touted as being | | | | Making matters worse, the EPA has now officially |
| highly effective in clearing the surrounding air of | | | | stated in its literature that "ozone has been found |
| pollutants and allergens, according to their | | | | to have little effect to remove indoor air |
| advocates, it is now recognized that they also | | | | pollutants," which may be making the use of |
| emit small amounts of ozone as a byproduct | | | | these machines unnecessary anyway since |
| during the ionization process. | | | | science has yet to verify the authenticity of most |
| While standard ionic air purifiers don't seem to | | | | manufacturer's claims regarding their products. |
| emit enough ozone to cause concern in the | | | | Until further research is completed, most experts |
| typical, well-ventilated home, those models using | | | | agree that the safest thing to do is use a |
| an Ozonolysis process t clear pollutants from the | | | | different kind of filtration cleaning system to rid |
| air have been found to emit even more ozone, | | | | your home of any indoor pollutants and allergens |
| which can build up in poorly ventilated rooms to an | | | | that may be causing your family discomfort. |