Air Purifier Systems - Ionizers that Produce Ozone Confusion

ClearFlite often receives calls from customers who are confused and concerned about the different air purifier devices that use ionizers, yet produce ozone as a byproduct. (There are also purifier devices that actually use ozone to clean the air, but we won’t address those here). With the tremendous amount of information that is out there, it’s understandable why one would be unsure about an ionizer and concerned about choosing an purifier that was safe. Although purifier products which clean by generating ozone have received a far greater amount of negative publicity in recent years, concerns have appeared about air purifier products that use ionization as well.

What are ionizers and how do they work in an air purifier?
Ionizers are also referred to as “ion generators.” Ion generators emit negative ions into the air which attract positively charged particles which are floating around in the air; then the oppositely charged particles clump together and settle out of the air onto a surface. (A “negative ion” is an atom which has more electrons in orbit than there are photons in the nucleus, according to Google’s science dictionary). The clumped particles will simply settle on the walls and floors, furniture, and other solid objects, unless the purifier has a collector device which coaxes the charged particles back into the unit. Ionizers which don’t collect the particles mean that you’ll have to wipe clean all the surfaces where the particles settle.

A purifier that cleans entirely by ionization may do an adequate to a poor job of clearing the air in a room from dust, smoke and pollen, depending upon the brand. Models of air purifier that only clean by ionization are ineffectual in removing gases and odors, which also may irritate allergenics and asthmatics, and definitely irritate persons with multiple chemical sensitivity. In some cases, however, as in the case of the Blueair air purifier models which ClearFlite carries, ionization is used inside the purifier to make it more efficient, and no ozone is produced. Blueair air purifier products use HEPA and activated carbon filtration as the primary methods to remove toxins.

However, some poorer quality ionizers on the market also emit potentially harmful levels of ozone, as a byproduct of the ionization process. This is where ionizers can be harmful, so the potential buyer should determine if possible, whether the air purifier emits ozone. That’s why it is best to purchase a high quality air purifier from a trusted source that has made sure to the best of its ability that the air purifier which cleans via ionization is not also emitting harmful levels of ozone.

Air purifier ozone emission limits and their regulation are still somewhat up in the air (pardon the pun). The Environmental Protection Agency officially only regulates outdoor air but has suggestions about indoor air purifier issues, and warns against ozone producing air purifiers. The Food and Drug Administration does have a limit set of 0.05 parts per million, but it is designated for medical devices, and the FDA doesn’t officially recognize air purifier products as medical devices. For now, ClearFlite recommends that HEPA air purifier models with activated carbon and other media for gases and odors be selected for indoor air cleaning. HEPA air purifiers are great for day-to-day cleaning needs.