Commercial Air Purifiers Are Electrostatic Precipitator Air Cleaners, Not Ozone Generators

A great deal has been written and said in theionization process. This is drastically different from
media recently about electrostatic precipitatorozone generators sold as air purifiers that do not
(ESP) commercial air purifiers and ozoneimprove indoor air quality, but produce heavy
generators. Unfortunately, as often happensconcentrations of potentially harmful ozone. To
during media frenzies, the truth gets lost amidfurther confuse the issue, some ozone generator
generalizations, assumptions and poor reporting.manufacturers use cute names to disguise the
First, what is ozone? Ozone (O3) is composed ofozone such as "saturated oxygen", "activated
3 oxygen atoms and is considered a veryoxygen" and "pure air". What they are actually
reactive gas. When a chemical reaction betweenproducing is ozone, not pure air.
the diatomic oxygen molecule (O2) and anMany ozone generators boast of ozone being an
oxygen atom (O) takes place, ozone is formed.effective germicide. An Environmental Protection
There is some confusion about "good" ozone andAgency study concluded that ozone, even at
"bad" ozone. Ozone in the upper atmosphere isconcentrations almost 100 times the
very beneficial in that it protects us from therecommended limit for human exposure, was
sun's harmful UV rays. However, breathing inineffective in killing airborne molds and fungi. The
heavy concentrations of ozone is potentiallyCalifornia Environmental Protection Agency's Air
dangerous to the lungs.Resources Board recommends against the use of
The primary difference between ESP air cleanersozone generators.
and ozone generators is this: ESP air purifiersOzone generators are often touted as being
produce tiny amounts of ozone as a by-producteffective in removing tobacco smoke odor. A
of the air purification process; ozone generatorstest conducted by Consumer Reports magazine
are built specifically to "intentionally" producefound this to be untrue. A far more effective and
ozone.safer approach to removing smoke odors is with
With electrostatic precipitator technology, minutean odor neutralizing cartridge.
amounts of ozone are produced during the