Air Purifier Technology At a Glance
There are 3 general categories of air purification technology which include several sub-categories:
I. PASSIVE FILTRATION
HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Air Filtration) Air Purifiers
| Air Filtering Technology | HEPA filter remove 99.97% of allergen particles from 0.3 micron and up |
| Irritants/allergens Filtered Out |
Pollen, Dust, Mold, Pet Dander, Bacteria, Viruses |
| Benefits | No harmful byproducts or chemicals are produced with their use |
| Considerations | Pure HEPA Filter does not remove odors, chemicals (e.g. VOCs) or gasses Used filters will need to be replaced or washed off periodically |
Activated Carbon Air Purifiers
| Air Filtering Technology | Neutralizes odors and traps chemicals and gases |
| Irritants/allergens Filtered Out |
Gas & Chemicals, Smoke & Odors |
| Benefits |
Typically harmful byproducts or chemicals are not produced with their use until saturation Air purifiers with both a HEPA and an activated carbon filter are considered very efficient |
| Considerations |
Doesn’t remove particles or germs Can outgas when saturated |
Earth Mineral (Metal Oxide) Air Purifiers
| Air Filtering Technology | Neutralizes odors and traps chemicals and gases |
| Irritants/allergens Filtered Out |
Gas & Chemicals, Smoke & Odors |
| Benefits |
No harmful byproducts or chemicals are produced with their use, no outgassing Air purifiers with both a HEPA and a mineral filter are considered very efficient |
| Considerations |
Limited removal of particles or germs Filters may need to be replaced more often than comparable carbon filters |
II. IONIZATION
Ionic/Electrostatic (Filter-less) Air Purifiers
| Air Filtering Technology | Charge airborne particles, causing them to clump into larger particles. The difference between Electrostatic Air Purifiers and Ionizers is that they trap the "charged particles" inside the machine. |
| Irritants/allergens Filtered Out |
Bacteria, Virus, Germs |
| Benefits | No need to replace filters, save money on maintenance |
| Considerations |
May not remove the particles from the room entirely For more information, check out California Certified Air Cleaning Devices. |
III. IRRADIATION
| Air Filtering Technology | Neutralize bacteria that accumulate on air purifier filters. Benefits vary depending on the unit |
| Irritants/allergens Filtered Out |
Bacteria, Germs |
| Benefits | Designed to get rid of allergens and germs, including bacteria and viruses |
| Considerations |
UV itself doesn't filter particles Effective when it's used in addition to an air purifier that uses HEPA Lamp will need to be replaced every so often |
Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO) Air Purifiers
| Air Filtering Technology | Neutralize bacteria while still in the air and thus do not require filter collection |
| Irritants/allergens Filtered Out |
Bacteria, Germs |
| Benefits | Designed to get rid of allergens and germs, including bacteria and viruses |
| Considerations |
Larger particles are not filtered or destroyed Effective when used with Titanium Dioxide to destroy small particles in the air without filtration Catalytic chamber will need to be replaced every so often |