Air purifier myths and facts: Can they protect against COVID-19, allergens or mold? - CNET
Air purifier myths and facts: Can they protect against COVID-19, allergens or mold? - CNET |
| Air purifier myths and facts: Can they protect against COVID-19, allergens or mold? - CNET Posted: 31 Jul 2020 03:00 AM PDT  A high-efficiency particulate absorbing filter in Honeywell's Home air purifier. David Priest/CNETCOVID-19 has made most of us more aware than ever before of the air we breathe. Even aside from our current anxieties, air pollution is a rising problem around the world. Even in countries with better air overall, smog, smoke and other pollutants still pose a serious threat to the health of children, elders and the immunocompromised -- threatening the health of those with asthma in particular. Whether it's coronavirus virions in aerosol droplets, irritants like pollen or pollutants like wildfire smoke and smog, a growing question for consumers is whether air purifiers can solve -- or at least mitigate -- our air quality problems. After testing a dozen of the leading air cleaners on the market, talking to specialists and reading dozens of studies on the topic, I can offer a few answers. Do air purifiers really work?This is one of the most popular questions online, and it's also a reminder of why close reading and skepticism are such useful tools when you're researching products as a consumer. Air purifier developers are not allowed to advertise their devices as health products in the United States for a few reasons -- most fundamentally because their benefits aren't straightforward. Instead of claiming incredible health outcomes, then, purifier advertisements usually focus on the number of harmful substances in the air and the effectiveness with which the devices filter them out.  Molekule, which sells some of the most aesthetically pleasing purifiers on the market, recently was forced by the National Advertising Review Board to retract a slew of misleading claims it has been making since 2017. David Priest/CNETTo answer the question in the most basic terms: yes, air purifiers generally filter particulate out of the air effectively -- especially if they use a HEPA filter (more on those in the next section). But most of us already have a mechanism to filter the air effectively: the respiratory system. As microbiologist and Vice President of Scientific Communications at the American Council on Science and Health Dr. Alex Berezow pointed out in a recent blog post, "Living within the tiny air sacs in your lungs (called alveoli) are immune cells known as macrophages. These "big eaters" gobble up bacteria, viruses, fungi, and whatever other debris happens to find its way into the lungs." In short, air purifiers work, but unless you live in a particularly polluted environment or you or your children are immuno-compromised, you probably don't need one. Do they protect against COVID, wildfire smoke or other seasonal pollutants?HEPA, which stands for high-efficiency particulate air, is the standard that describes most air purifier filters currently sold in the US. To meet the standard, a filter must remove 99.97% of particles in the air that are 0.3 micrometers in size (a particularly difficult size to filter). HEPA filters are usually more effective with particles larger and smaller than that size. Pollen, smoke particulate and aerosol droplets that can transmit COVID can all be filtered out of the air with such a filter. That said, don't count on air purifiers to protect you if you're cohabitating with a contagious person. When I talked on the phone with Dr. Richard Shaughnessy, the director of Indoor Air Research University of Tulsa, he said transmission of COVID usually happens due to close contact with an infected person. If you're sitting on a couch and chatting with someone who is infected, an air purifier across the room isn't going to remove all the harmful particles they exhale before they have a chance to reach you.  Coway's air purifier is one of the best on the market. It includes ionic filtration technology, but has been certified by the California EPA as emitting negligible or no ozone over time. David Priest/CNETI've heard about ozone coming from air purifiers. Should I be worried?Ozone is a type of pollutant that a narrow set of air purifiers has been found to emit in the past. Before we dive into that, it's helpful to understand the basic types of air purifiers on the market now. The three most popular filtration methods air purifiers use to clean the air are these: HEPA devices remove particles by ushering air through a specially designed and standardized filter; activated carbon filters remove odors and gaseous pollutants by running air across "sorbent media," which traps it; and finally, ionic purifiers produce ions that attach themselves to particles. Ionic purifiers work in a couple of ways. Some simply let ionized particles attach to surfaces around the house (thereby "removing" them from the air). Others have a plate that collects those ionized particles and needs frequent cleaning. The latter are the devices that have in the past had problems with producing ozone. Luckily, standards have risen over recent years and third-party firms now test ionic air purifiers to make sure they're not releasing significant ozone into the home. Generally, I would avoid ionic air purifiers simply because they're not the most effective for the price. If you really want one, check to make sure it has a certification from Underwriters Laboratories or the California EPA, stating that it does not emit ozone. Who definitely would benefit from an air purifier?The research here is a little complicated. Without getting too far into the weeds, one of the clearest demographics that benefits from HEPA-filter air cleaners is children with asthma. Dr. Elizabeth Matsui, a professor of population health and pediatrics at the University of Austin's Dell Medical School, has researched the use of air purifiers in the homes of asthmatic children and told me about the value of air cleaners in such households.  Even an excellent air purifier like Blueair's 411 will not accomplish as much as cleaning and ventilating your home. David Priest/CNETAir purifiers, she cautioned, are not a replacement for what she calls "proximal source interventions." For instance, a HEPA air cleaner can reduce particulate matter in the home of a smoker and child with asthma by 25%-50%. But that's not the best solution: ideally, the person should stop smoking in the house altogether. A clean and well-ventilated environment -- and of course proper medical care -- is far more important than an expensive air cleaner. And to be clear, while air purifiers can help mitigate symptoms of childhood asthma, Dr. Matsui says, "There's not good evidence that we can currently modify the environment in a way that reduces rates of asthma, whether that's by air purifiers or any other means." In other words, air purifiers are helpful devices for children who suffer from asthma, but they won't reduce the chances of a child developing asthma in the first place.  With so many air purifiers on the market, finding the right one can feel overwhelming. David Priest/CNETIf I want an air purifier, how do I find the right one?Luckily, I've already written an extensive article addressing this exact question. There are plenty of air cleaners on the market, and some of them really are impressively effective given their reasonable price tags. If you have any other questions I haven't answered above, make sure to ask them in the comments, and I'll be happy to update the article with answers.  |
| Partu Air Purifier Review: Colorfully clean air - iMore Posted: 22 Jul 2020 12:00 AM PDT
 Source: iMore Breathing clean air is essential, especially in your own home. That's why an air purifier is an excellent choice for anyone that wants to breathe cleaner air, suffers from allergies, asthma, has pets, smokes or lives with someone that does, or lives in an area with higher air pollution. I have a cat, a dog, and a one-year-old, so the integrity of the air we breathe at home is critical to me. I had the opportunity to try the Partu Air Purifier and found it to be a good air purifier for small rooms with a cool color sweeping light option. 4-in-1 filtration system Partu Air PurifierBottom Line: The Partu Air Purifier is best for small rooms up to 160 square feet or less. It uses a four-stage filtration system that removes pollen, mold, pet dander, cigarette smoke, pet odors, cooking odors, and neutralizes pollutants without harming the environment in the process. My favorite feature is the seven-color sweeping nightlight that has the option to be fixed on one color according to whatever mood you're trying to create at the time. Pros
Cons
Partu Air Purifier Features
 Source: iMore This air purifier features a four-stage filtration system. The pre-filter captures hair and pet fur, the HEPA filter removes pollen, mold, and pet dander, the activated carbon filter removes cigarette smoke and pet and cooking odors, and the anion button creates negative ions which cause floating particulates (dust, pet dander, allergens) in the air to cling together and drop to the floor. This filter is a CADR approved HEPA filter and has proven itself effective at capturing 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. The motor operates at three speeds and features an ultra-quiet sleep mode so you can breathe clean while getting some shuteye. This filter is most effective in small rooms that are 160 square feet or less. It has a cool nightlight that can be set to seven sweeping colors or be fixed on one color to match your mood at the time. User friendly + easy to operate What I loved
 Source: iMore First off, this air purifier is very user friendly, easy to operate, and comes with a clear instruction manual that articulates everything you need to know to set it up and make it work. Most importantly, you have to remove the plastic encasing the filter before you turn it on. To do that, you simply flip it over, twist off the bottom, remove the plastic, stick the filter back in, and screw the bottom back on. Easy peasy, and you're ready to rock.
You've got your simple on/off button, light button, anion button (I don't really know why you wouldn't want to keep this button on all of the time, but maybe that's just me), your filter button that will illuminate when it's time to check the filter, and your fan speed button. Let's circle back to the anion button because I wasn't exactly clear on what anion mode was, so I did a little research, and this is what I found. When you turn the anion button on, this machine will release six million anions per second into the air. What does that mean, you ask? Well, anion mode creates negative ions, which cause floating particulates such as dust, pet dander, and allergens in the air to cling together and drop to the floor. I'm thinking ok, great, these particulates are not floating through the air, so I'm not breathing them in, but I don't necessarily want them on the floor either. I guess vacuuming regularly is the solution to keeping these little particulates completely out of my home. Four-stage filtration system
 Source: iMore
The other air purifiers I'm familiar with use a three-stage filtration system. The new filtering addition in the Partu being anion mode. This filter comes with a pre-filter, certified HEPA filter, activated carbon filter, and anion mode to rid the air you breathe of harmful pollutants, allergens, pet dander, and odors. It runs at three fan speeds that are all reasonably quiet, in my opinion. I put this purifier in my baby's room who appreciates a little white noise while she sleeps. I always keep it on level two or three even when she's sleeping, but level one is considered sleep mode and is extremely quiet. If you're super sensitive to sound, this is the mode for you. Seven color sweeping nightlight
 Source: iMore
I'm a huge fan of lights and color, and as I mentioned before, I use this air purifier in my baby's room, who loves the changing colors as well. You also have the option of fixing the light on one color to match your ever-changing moods. You've got seven colors to choose from and can achieve any vibe you're going for. My one complaint is that I wish the colors were more visible. They're only visible while looking at the front of the machine in complete darkness. In fact, when I first turned this on in the daytime, I thought the color sweep function was broken. You can clearly see the lights when you look at this machine from the side, but looking at it straight on, you can barely see them. For small rooms only What could be better
 Source: iMore I do wish that this machine had the capability of cleaning a larger area. It clearly states that it works best in rooms that are 160 square feet or less, which is small. I think the price tag is a little high for its square footage capability. Arrived squished
 Source: iMore When this unit arrived, the removable bottom piece was not screwed on properly. It was jammed into the bottom of the machine at an awkward angle and really squished the filter on one side. I was able to get the bottom off and remove the plastic from the filter, but it was really jammed in there, so this took some doing. I hope the filter is still working at its max capacity even though it's squished on one side. I tried to straighten it out the best I could, but it really got smashed and wouldn't smooth out completely. I was also concerned that the removable bottom piece was broken, and I wouldn't be able to remove it and lock it back in place, but I was able to do so. This definitely could have occurred in shipping, but I think it actually happened at the manufacturer because the box was not damaged at all, reflecting this kind of disturbance. It's frustrating to receive a brand new product that was obviously carelessly mishandled at one point. Bottom line
 Source: iMore This is a solid filter for small rooms and has the cool seven-color changing nightlight and anion mode. It gets the job done in the spaces it's designed for. I'd recommend this filter to anyone looking to purify the air in small rooms and/or want an air purifier with a cool nightlight feature.
The Partu Air Purifier has three fan speeds, a color-changing light that can be fixed to one color if desired, a four-stage filtration system, and is excellent at purifying the air in rooms that are 160 square feet or less. Fun colors + user friendly Partu Air PurifierColor clean air This air purifier features a four-stage filtration system, seven color-changing lights, and is best for small rooms. We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.  |
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