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Tools for Cleaning the Air

There are two categories of air pollutants: particulate matter and gaseous pollutants. Included as particulate matter are dust, smoke, pollen, dust mites, molds, bacteria and viruses. Gaseous pollutants include gas from kitchen stoves, vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoke, adhesives, paints, cleaning products and pesticides. Air cleaners remove these pollutants and help to prevent illness and alleviate allergies.

  1. Mechanical Air Filters

    • High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters used by some vacuum cleaners and air-filtration systems trap particles removed from the air on filter materials, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

    Electronic Air Cleaners

    • Electronic air cleaners use electrostatic attraction to trap particles. Charged ions attach to airborne particles as they enter the filter. The particles receive an electrical charge from the ions causing them to stick to collector plates via electrostatic attraction.

    Gas-Phase Air Filters

    • Gas-phase air filters use activated carbon to absorb pollutants. They remove the pollutants from the air as they pass through the filter. The drawback to this type of air filter is its design, which limits the filter to specific gaseous pollutants making it ineffective against others.

    UVGI Cleaners

    • The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends using UVGI cleaners with air-filtration systems. Ultraviolet radiation from UV lamps kill airborne viruses, bacteria, allergens and molds or those growing on heating, ventilation and air-conditioning surfaces.

    PCO Cleaners

    • Using a catalyst that reacts to light, the UV lamp in PCO cleaners kills gaseous pollutants, but their design does not enable them to remove particulate pollutants from the air.

    Ozone Generators

    • The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends that consumers not use this product. It presents a health hazard by generating ozone, a lung irritant.

    Portable Air Cleaners

    • In homes not equipped with a furnace or central air-conditioning system, portable air cleaners operate by using a fan to circulate air. Portable air cleaners use one of the above methods for removing small particles from the air, such as bacteria, mold spores, cat and dog dander, but cannot remove larger particles like pollen, dust mites and cockroach body parts.

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