Air purifiers & Ozone

[Eri]

Recently I decided to buy an air purifier. After much research I, several times, came upon articles stating "ozone" is very bad for your lungs and you should avoid purifier's that give it off. The problem is, nowhere I look do I ever find mention of any brand or kind of product that I should avoid. So basically "OZONE BAD" is all I got. Anyone know more than I do?

 

[El Poncho]

Ignore everyone saying ozone is bad because it doesn't matter.

 

[Cuniculus]

I may be wrong, but isn't the Ozone layer a good thing? I mean, it blocks out the harmful sun rays and such. I think what you heard was just something the company made to mean the "harmful outdoor pollution".

 

[Spacewolf]

yes you should avoid ozone as its toxic although it does smell of lavender, basically if the box says it gives off O3 that means that it gives off ozone

 

[Eri]

I may be wrong, but isn't the Ozone layer a good thing? I mean, it blocks out the harmful sun rays and such. I think what you heard was just something the company made to mean the "harmful outdoor pollution".

Not talking about the ozone layer, but rather, machines giving off the ozone into your house.

 

[Tossth Esalad]

You should by all means avoid ozone, since it's quite toxic. It does baffle me though, that a air freshener can produce it, because it doesn't form under normal atmosferic conditions...

Edit: Found a link :http://www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse/OzoneToxicity.htm

 

[Labyrinth]

Ozone is all fine and dandy up in the atmosphere where it doesn't get into our lungs but as people have pointed out, it's toxic to us. Your best bet for 'purifying air' may be to buy a hardy few house plants.

And air purifiers creating it? The way that happens naturally is energy from the sun busting O2 molecules to form O, which then goes and join to other O2 molecules. I imagine it wouldn't be that hard to re-create the effect in a lab, but very energy intensive what with dodging the N2 atoms and all.

 

[InvisibleSeal]

I'm not sure, but I think ozone is bad because when it goes into your body it reacts and makes free radicals - please correct if I'm wrong though!

yes you should avoid ozone as its toxic although it does smell of lavender, basically if the box says it gives off O3 that means that it gives off ozone

Also, this ^
If it says it gives off ozone or O3 (don't know how to do subscript) then it will and should be avoided. It might be in the small print though, so you might have to ask.

 

[Eri]

The replies are nice but so far no one has really answered about any specific brands or kinds of things I should dodge buying.

 

[WrongSprite]

I may be wrong, but isn't the Ozone layer a good thing? I mean, it blocks out the harmful sun rays and such. I think what you heard was just something the company made to mean the "harmful outdoor pollution".

Doesn't mean you should breathe it haha.

 

[Tossth Esalad]

And air purifiers creating it? The way that happens naturally is energy from the sun busting O2 molecules to form O, which then goes and join to other O2 molecules. I imagine it wouldn't be that hard to re-create the effect in a lab, but very energy intensive what with dodging the N2 atoms and all.

Come to think of it, this may be possible. The reaction requires 10-20 kV to proceed, which MIGHT be what the purifier transforms the standard socket current into.

 

[Tossth Esalad]

The replies are nice but so far no one has really answered about any specific brands or kinds of things I should dodge buying.

I'd not use one at all... Open windows and houseplants should to the job well enough.

 

[Labyrinth]

Come to think of it, this may be possible. The reaction requires 10-20 kV to proceed, which MIGHT be what the purifier transforms the standard socket current into.

That'd be quite the drain on ones energy bill.

 

[Tossth Esalad]

Come to think of it, this may be possible. The reaction requires 10-20 kV to proceed, which MIGHT be what the purifier transforms the standard socket current into.

That'd be quite the drain on ones energy bill.

Hence the "MIGHT"

Since te OP hasn't stated which country he's from, I just guessed... I could be possible if the V/A factor is skewed enough (not where I live though; 220V/1mA can't be transformed to 10-20 kV)

 

[megapenguinx]

Ozone isn't terrible for you. I think what the purifier is doing though is removing most of the nitrogen in air (that wears down the insides of your lungs). http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1474548. I never saw the benefit of air purifiers unless you lived in major city or were severely asthmatic.

 

[Jark212]

Recently I decided to buy an air purifier. After much research I, several times, came upon articles stating "ozone" is very bad for your lungs and you should avoid purifier's that give it off. The problem is, nowhere I look do I ever find mention of any brand or kind of product that I should avoid. So basically "OZONE BAD" is all I got. Anyone know more than I do?

ozone or O3 is deadly to humans...