| Cutting through the confusion and misinformation. | | | | The misconception regarding adverse health |
| Proven to Be Effective By a Multitude of Scientific | | | | effects from negative ions is a result of the |
| Studies | | | | confusion between negative ions and ozone. It is |
| Negative ion air purification has been studied, and | | | | important to understand that negative ions and |
| found to be highly effective by a variety of | | | | ozone are two different things. Negative ions are |
| reputable organizations and agencies, including the | | | | harmless, regardless of concentration. In very high |
| U.S. Department of Agriculture. "Ionizers" have | | | | concentrations, ozone can be hazardous to your |
| been looked upon as an alternative or | | | | health, although this has been overstated and |
| complementary air purification to conventional air | | | | misunderstood by many. |
| filtration techniques, in efforts to reduce costs and | | | | Not All Ionizers Produce Ozone. |
| increase performance. | | | | The reason for the confusion is due to the fact |
| The U.S. Department of Agriculture Finds Ionizers | | | | that some ionizer air purifiers also produce ozone. |
| to be Effective | | | | However, not all ionizers produce ozone. For |
| The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture found negative ion | | | | example, the Surround Air Multi-Tech air purifier's |
| air purification (a.k.a. ionizers) to effectively reduce | | | | ionizer produces virtually no ozone at all (not |
| airborne dust and bacteria in poultry houses, which | | | | enough to register on ozone measuring |
| are notoriously polluted. In their tests, airborne | | | | equipment). |
| bacteria was reduced by 95%, airborne dust | | | | Some ionizers have a separate ozone generator, |
| & particles were reduced by 99% in 60 | | | | which can produce a significant amount of ozone |
| seconds, and bacteria transmission between | | | | if the ozone generator is activated, and especially |
| chicks was reduced by 98%. | | | | if turned to a higher setting. |
| If the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture trusts negative ion | | | | Other types of ionizers produce minimal amounts |
| air purification for an environment as filthy as a | | | | of ozone as a byproduct. For instance, ionizers |
| poultry house, then it is fair to say they can be | | | | that use electrostatically-charged metal plates will |
| counted upon to keep airborne pollutants at bay in | | | | produce ozone as a side effect. These types of |
| your home or office as well. | | | | air purifiers may produce a fairly high amount of |
| Negative Ions Are Completely Safe | | | | ozone within just a few inches of the unit. |
| There is a misconception that negative ions are | | | | However, the ozone concentration will dilute and |
| somehow hazardous to our health. However, | | | | dissipate to virtually nothing at merely a few feet |
| numerous studies have found them to be | | | | or so away from this type of unit. |
| completely safe. Ionizers have been tested | | | | In which case, ionizers with |
| extensively in hospital burn units, and no side | | | | electrostatically-charged plates are safe, especially |
| effects were observed. | | | | if you avoid positioning the ionizer within a few |
| Columbia University researchers also found in their | | | | feet of your breathing zone for long periods of |
| tests that negative ions result in relatively no side | | | | time. |
| effects. | | | | |