Clean Air Machine

There are many pollutants and contaminants in the air that lead to the air being dirty. Soot particles, bacteria, and gaseous pollutants in the air can have negative health effects. A clean air machine is designed to reduce the number of pollutants and pathogens in the air.

How It Works

There are a variety of technologies that can be used by a clean air machine. Basically, air is pulled into the machine, processed in some way, and then exhausted to the surrounding environment. During processing, a clean air machine may simply trap particles in a filter. This can capture a wide variety of particles, but does not necessarily kill or deactivate pathogens. In fact, if there is too much moisture present in an air filter, mold can actually grow in the filter itself. This can result in a worse outcome than no filter at all if the mold that grows is harmful to human health.

Some clean air machines use methods that are specifically meant to kill or sterilize pathogens. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation uses ultraviolet light to damage the DNA and RNA of harmful organisms. Organisms and viruses that are exposed to intense ultraviolet light are unable to reproduce, which reduces the chances they can cause disease.¹

Another method is to use activated oxygen to harm the pathogens. Similar to ultraviolet light, high concentrations of activated oxygen are capable of damaging pathogens to the point where they are unable to cause infections.²

Beyond Pathogens

Some of the harmful things in the air can’t be stopped by methods that harm DNA and RNA. Dust, soot, and other solids which may not be capable of reproducing nevertheless impinge upon our lungs. Inhaling soot or smoke particles is inadvisable. These can be limited or reduced with straightforward air filtration techniques.

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, is a category of pollutant which includes some known carcinogens such as benzene, and other possibly harmful molecules which are unaffected by sanitation techniques such as acetone.

To remove gaseous pollutants, an activated carbon filter can be used. Pairing the activated carbon filter with another method of purifying the air can give the benefits of disarming pathogens and removing gaseous pollutants. An air purifier with a carbon filter combines two air treatments into one device.