Emerging Trends and the Growing Use of Air Purifiers in Improving Indoor Air Quality

A global survey revealed that people spend 90% of their lives indoors in their daily routine. The COVID-19 pandemic further compelled people to stay indoors for months to safeguard against contracting the virus. However, research shows that Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is more dangerous than outdoor air. Some of the factors which adversely impact IAQ are fuels from burning appliances, smoke from tobacco products, chemical cleaning agents, particulate matter, organic and inorganic gases, vapor, mold, and odors.

According to ASHRAE Position Document on Indoor Air Quality, IAQ impacts people’s health, well-being, comfort, learning outcomes, and work performance. Poor IAQ makes people vulnerable to stroke, lung cancer, heart diseases, respiratory diseases, allergies, sick building syndrome, and other acute illnesses. Moreover, indoor spaces are also prime COVID hotspots if they are crowded or inadequately ventilated, which in turn worsens air quality and increases the risk of airborne transmission.

Air Purifiers – An Effective Solution for Poor IAQ

Air purifiers clean the indoor air by removing contaminants from the air. The fans inside the air purifier suck the outside air, filter it, and push out clean air. A study highlights that air filtration can be instrumental in improving IAQ and reducing the risk of health diseases. Another research conducted at a hospital inundated with COVID-19 patients confirmed that air filters effectively eliminate SARS-CoV-2 particles from the air.

Due to the benefits they offer, the demand for air purifiers has increased in the last few years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a study by Research and Markets, the air purifier market size will reach USD 28.3 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 15.8%.

Types of Air Purifier Technologies

The air purifier technology largely depends on the type of filter it uses. Let’s take a look at the three most commonly used technologies:

• HEPA

Air purifiers with High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance (HEPA) filters contain multi-layered meshes and can trap a majority of particles larger than 0.2-0.3 microns. They are highly effective in removing dust, mold spores, pollen, and allergens.

• Ionizer

Air purifiers with ionic filters can remove ultra-fine particles as small as 0.01 microns. It discharges negative ions into air and bond with positively charged airborne particles. Eventually, these particles become heavy and separate from the air.

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• UVGI 

Air purifiers with Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) use short-wave ultraviolet light to disinfect the air. It has been an accepted and time-tested method of cleaning the air, surface, water, and medical equipment. It has a powerful ability to inactivate or destroy germs, bacteria, viruses, mold spores, and pathogens in the air by breaking molecular bonds in their DNA. The tests conducted by Microbe Management, Inc. revealed that UV is an important and effective technique for air purification.  

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that UVGI can also be effective in reducing exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in some group settings. Another study also points in the same direction and mentions that UVGI is highly effective in inactivating SARS-CoV-2 replication. Minimization of the spread of the COVID virus can improve IAQ to a significant extent and make air safe to breathe. When used with HEPA, UVGI for HVAC and air purification systems produces even more efficient and powerful results in improving IAQ. 

However, UVGI is a specialized technology. You need a reliable and experienced partner such as Alfaa UV to upgrade your HVAC and air purifiers with UVGI. Alfaa UV’s Ultra Coil and Ultra Duct UVGI systems use world-class UVC lamps and unmatched Reflector Technology with UL Certification to ensure that all air passing through the system is disinfected as it re-circulates in indoor spaces. The design ensures 100% exposure of the air to the UVC system. 

Get in touch with Alfaa UV today.