| What are the considerations for and against | | | | reduced. The main advantage of a negative ion air |
| buying a negative ion air purifier? In just one | | | | purifier is there are no filters to clean or change, |
| minute, let me reveal the most important ones. | | | | they are quiet and they are usually presented as |
| A negative ion air purifier attempts to clean the | | | | being able to clean large areas. |
| room by eliminating particles from the air. The | | | | But the drawbacks are substantial. First of all, |
| particles are not actually captured and contained | | | | particles end up on the floor, walls, and furniture. |
| as in a filter. | | | | As the particles lose their charge they cease to |
| The way it works is the particles are drawn into | | | | be attracted to surfaces and return to the air |
| the machine and negatively ionized. They are | | | | with the slightest disturbance. |
| released back into the room where they are | | | | A major concern noted by the EPA and the |
| attracted to positively charged walls and furniture. | | | | American Lung Association is that ionized particles |
| This is not very desirable and has been given the | | | | are also more likely to stick deep inside your lungs |
| name, "black wall effect" since surfaces near the | | | | causing irritation, inflammation and other toxic |
| ionizer can become heavily soiled. | | | | effects. |
| Negatively charged particles may also be drawn | | | | Another concern about the negative ion air purifier |
| to positively or neutrally charged particles still in | | | | is that it also releases a significant amount of |
| the air and mass together, or agglomerate, until | | | | ozone. Ozone is a known toxic irritant that |
| they are heavy enough to fall to the floor. | | | | exacerbates allergic reactions and can aggravate |
| The result is that the particle count in the air is | | | | asthma symptoms. |