Lets start at the
beginning before we discuss ozone air purifiers and what
to watch out for. Ozone is a normal trace element
that exists in the Earth's atmosphere. Activated
oxygen, another name for ozone, is a three-atom form of
pure oxygen (which has two atoms).
When ozone
comes into contact with pollutants it loses one of its
atoms and "oxidizes" the pollutant, thereby destroying
it.Ozone air purifiers use electricity to
produce ozone and then release into into the air to
"seek and destroy" pollutants. Sounds great, but
there are some important drawbacks to consider.
First, ozone in high doses causes irritation to the
eyes, nose and throat. At very high doses, it can
be poisonous to humans. Now, most ozone air
purifiers are not capable of producing those levels of
ozone, but it is something to keep in mind.
Second, ozone air purifiers tend to cause an
unpleasant "sweet" odor or smell in the room being
cleaned. Most people find this smell
objectionable.
Lastly, ozone air purifiers have no affect on solid
particles like dust. Ozone is simply not effective
at removing these types of particles.
Of course, along with these negatives comes some
strengths as well. Ozone air purifiers are highly
effective against odors. Ozone also is capable of
destroying chemicals and bacteria. Also, ozone
generators do not need to draw air into the machine
to be effective, thus it is capable of oxidizing a large
area.
Where to Use Ozone Air Purifiers
After taking into all of the above, it is obvious
that ozone air purifiers are particularly well-suited
for salons, bars, and other areas with high levels of
pollution and strong odor.
Ozone air purifiers can also be used in homes as long
as the air cleaner utilizes more than ozone technology
(i.e. in combination with a HEPA filter). You
would also want to make sure that the ozone generator
could be turned off or reduced so that ozone levels
could be kept at a minimum.
For air purifiers that generate safe levels of ozone,
check out our reviews of the
top 10 air
purifiers currently available.
