Top 3 Air Purification Technologies Demystified
With so many types of air purifiers available on the
market today, it's often hard to determine exactly which model is best
for you. Before you make a purchasing decision, take some time to
familiarize yourself with the different air purification technologies
out there. Here's an overview of some of the 3 most common ones:
HEPA Filters: By definition, HEPA filters must be
capable of capturing 99.97 percent of particles up to 0.3 microns in
size and it's for this reason that they're one of the most effective
types of filters for particle abatement. HEPA air filters were
developed by the Atomic Energy Commission during WWII to remove
radioactive dust from their plants. Since then, they've been in
use by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Choose a room air
purifier with HEPA if your main concern is dust, pollen, dust mites, and
other allergens.
Activated Carbon Filters: Activated carbon is one
of the most absorbent filters available. Activated carbon is
essentially charcoal that has been treated with oxygen. These pores
adsorb harmful gases and odors. If you're concerned with chemical fumes,
cigarette smoke, or odors, look for an air purifier with an activated
carbon filter.
Ionizers: Ionizers create negative ions which
change the polarity of airborne particles. This causes them to
attract together and onto a magnetic collection plate. Air
purifiers with only ionizers are usually pretty quiet, so they're a good
choice if you don't like the noise produced by an air purifier with
mechanical filtration such as HEPA.
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