If you're using a PCO, PlasmaCluster or Ionic air purifier, the bad smell you've been experiencing in your home is likely ozone. This is the only odor that an ion purifier produces directly. Other odors that appear to be coming from the machine are actually existing odors that are amplified by removing other particles from the air. Ion generators work by charging particles in a room so that they are attracted to walls, floors, tables, curtains, occupants, etc.
Abrasion can cause these particles to be resuspended in the air. Some devices contain a collector to attract charged particles back to the unit. While ion generators can eliminate small particles, no controlled study has confirmed that they offer an advantage in rectifying a hypothetical ion imbalance.
Ionic Breeze
, sold by The Sharper Image to remove particles and make homes smell fresher, is one of the most popular air ionizers.We'll look at how ionizing air purifiers interact with odor-causing contaminants, including pet odors and cigarette odors, and determine if an ionizer is a safe and effective way to control odors in your home or car. Some air purifiers even promote this aspect, suggesting that the purifier produces “clean air” or “fresh air”. However, Consumer Reports published an article in 2003 on air ionizers that cast serious doubts on Ionic Breeze's claims about air treatment. If you're most concerned about odor, you may be wondering if an ionizer is good at eliminating odors.
A PECO air purifier would remove toxic chemicals from tobacco smoke from the air by breaking it down into harmless components such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, eliminating odor without producing ozone. An ionizer is an air purifier that imparts an electrical charge to particles that pass through it, causing them to accumulate and accumulate in the air or adhere to objects such as curtains or furniture in a room. If you have an ionic air purifier, the following information will help you recognize if air odors are dangerous and will suggest how to reduce that hazard. The Ionic Breeze (like other air ionizers) not only didn't significantly improve indoor air quality, but it also released higher levels of ozone into the air than recommended by the EPA and FDA for occupied spaces.
By creating the electrical charge, the ionizer also produced a small amount of ozone that made the air smell fresher. However, ionizers don't directly address gaseous contaminants, only particulate contaminants, so they don't directly eliminate odors from the air. Since plug-in ionizers are the most common air purifiers for cars, this may seem like the only option.
