When getting recommendations on an ionizer purifier, some will say that these air purification devices are bad for your health and you should not get them.
On the other hand, some will tell you that they are highly efficient, and you should get any air purifier other than the other ionizer models.
So, is air ionizer good or bad? Well, different studies prove that ionizers are bad for you. But why is an ionizer air purifier bad for you? Long story short: according to some critics, ionizers give off harmful ozone levels, which are equally dangerous to your health and environment.
Now, you might be wondering what does the ionizer on my air purifier do and how hazardous it is to my health, right? Let’s get to the bottom of the topic, shall we?
Ionic Air Purifiers Vs Air Ionizers
Before anything else, we would like to address that there are two classes of ionizer air purifiers on the market.
Some will classify themselves as air ionizers, while some will standardize themselves as ionic air purifiers. And to understand the question – is ionizer safe in air purifier, you need to know whether they are different.
So, what is the difference between air ionizers and ionic air purifiers? Basically nothing!
These two terms are different ways of talking about the same technology: charged molecules being in the air to purify them. And both the models, air ionizers and ionic air purifiers, rely on the same process to clean out the air.
To make things easier, we will refer to these devices as air ionizers throughout this discussion.
How Do Air Ionizers Work?
In a typical air purifier, you will find filters and fans inside. Those will work to remove contaminants from the air and purify it. Usually, they will rely on advanced filtration units such as HEPA to ensure that you breathe the cleanest air.
On the other hand, air ionizers rely on electrically charged air molecules, otherwise known as ions, to perform the same purification job. So, how do they work?
Every room in your house is filled with positively charged particles. It could be dust, odor particles, microbes, smoke, allergens, or bacteria.
The air ionizer will release the negatively charged particles, attracting airborne particulates. By doing so, the negative particles bond with the positively charged ones, making them too heavy to airborne. In other words, the positively charged particles will no longer be capable of floating in the air.
Now, when the particulates are too heavy to float, they will settle to the ground. You can easily dust them off or vacuum them after they drop to the ground. And through this process, the air ionizers will clean the room’s air.
What Are the Dangers of Air Ionizers? Do Air Ionizers Cause Cancer?
The thing about the negative ions that are from air ionizers, they are not natural. Instead, the device creates them through the electric-discharge method. That is where the issue occurs.
During the electric discharge process, the negative particles can produce ozone, which can be very harmful.
What Is Ozone?
At its core, ozone is a toxic and colorless gas. It exists on two different levels in our atmosphere. There is one layer that is good, and there is another that is not so good.
The first one exists in the stratosphere, which is about 6 to 30 miles high from the ground. On the other hand, the second one remains on the ground level.
The gas that remains in that layer offers protection from the sun’s harmful radiation. Yes, it protects us from the sun. The second one, however, is not good for us. It remains at the ground level and can be within the air we breathe.
When humans breathe in air with a high ozone level, they become suspect of severe side effects. These side effects can ruin the condition of the health. For example, high exposure to ozone can cause lung diseases, chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing, and finally, cancer.
Do Air Ionizers Emit Ozone Gas?
Yes, any artificial high-energy particle generates ozone as a by-product. In other words, the negatively charged ion that air ionizers produce will generate ozone for the molecular reaction that they go through.
At first, when air ionizing technology came out, the devices got exceptionally popular. They were selling like hot cakes, but soon, third-party reviews started to question the technology’s safety. These reviews addressed the validity of the air purification method and the danger levels of the device.
Eventually, the air ionizers set up new standards that fell under the Clean Air Act. The standard puts a limit on the amount of ozone that a purifier machine could generate.
And according to the standard, air purification devices are allowed to only produce 50 parts per billion (ppb) of ozone.
Any device that creates a higher ppb of ozone is not considered to be safe. If you compare that standard with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health advice, that is half. The institute advises that the ozone levels should not exceed 100 ppb.
On some of the models, you will notice a sensor. This ozone sensor monitors the ozone level and suppresses it if it is too much. In other words, the sensor will ensure that the ozone level does not reach an unsafe level.
Furthermore, you will notice that some states, such as California, do not let your purchase air ionizers. Yes, regardless of the ozone level the machine produces, you can not purchase the air ionizers if you reside in that state.
Final Words
So, the bottom line is that the answer to the question of why is an ionizer air purifier bad for you is that a high ozone level in the air can cause issues to the health.
However, there are air ionizers out there that monitor the ozone emission and suppress the level accordingly.
