When it comes to air purification, many people are familiar with the infamous Sharper Image Ionic Breeze, an ionizing air purifier with an electrostatic precipitator that, according to Consumer Reports, produced high levels of ozone. Ozone is a dangerous by-product that can cause harm to the health of those exposed, such as chest pain, cough, shortness of breath and throat irritation. But are ionizers safe for lungs?The answer is not a simple yes or no. It depends on the type of ionizer and how it is used.
Generally speaking, ionizers are not energized enough to be harmful to you. However, when inhaled in sufficiently high doses, ozone can have harmful effects on the lungs. Specific effects may include throat irritation, cough, chest pain and shortness of breath, as well as an increased risk of respiratory infections. Most UV cleaners don't contain ozone and don't damage the lungs, but they don't kill pathogens either. Hospital UV lights are effective at killing particles by reducing or eliminating airflow.
Air purifiers pass air through filters and out through ventilation grilles, creating air circulation in a room. In their 6-month study, authors found no statistically significant difference in PEFR between active ionization environments and environments with placebo or without ionizer. Laboratory tests were conducted with sampling of particulate air and gases in a large semi-furnished chamber and in a field test with an ionizing device installed in an air handling unit serving an occupied office building. Chamber and field tests found that an ionizing device led to a decrease in some volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including xylenes, but to an increase in others, especially oxygenated VOCs (e.g.Since the conflicting data associated with the ionizer remains persistent, it is best to keep the ionizer option turned off unless you need it for a specific purpose. To get rid of the dangers of second and third hand smoking from my roommate, I now plan to keep my ionizer turned on only for 30-40 minutes when no one is in the room, and then turn off the ionizer before anyone comes in. As more information is disseminated and presented to the public about the dangers of air ionizers, the more informed consumers will be before purchasing an air purifier.
People vary widely in their susceptibility to ozone. Healthy people, as well as people with respiratory distress, may experience respiratory problems with exposure to ozone. Exercise during ozone exposure causes more ozone to be inhaled and increases the risk of harmful respiratory effects. In conclusion, while most UV cleaners don't contain ozone and don't damage the lungs, it is important to be aware of the potential risks associated with using an ionizer. Recovery from harmful effects may occur after short-term exposure to low ozone levels, but health effects may become more damaging and recovery is less safe at higher levels or longer exposures.
