Which one is the best for you?

There are so many air pollutants out there and as a result there are many types of air filtrations as well. To be honest I don’t like filters because I believe that we have to reduce and avoid generating pollutants in the first place, but sometimes it’s hard.

High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance (HEPA) Filters

HEPA filters are designed to catch particulate matter >1µm to >0.3µm with an efficiency of 85% to 99.999995%. We can translate that into:

• Pollen (5-100 µm)
• Mold (2-20 µm)
• Pet Dander (0.5-100 µm)
• Dust Mite Debris (0.5-50 µm)
• Bacteria (0.3 -10 µm)

Carbon Air Filters

Activated Carbon filters have small absorbent pores that chemically react to pollutants like VOCs as they pass through the filter. The activated carbon absorbs the odors and gasses and neutralises them by bond the pollutants with the carbon. They always combine HEPA filters with active carbon filters because they can’t remove dust and other allergens alone.

Silver Nanoparticles Coated Filter

Silver Nanoparticles Coated Filters have a range of negative effects on virus strains and bacteria and they can destroy the membrane of a cell and deactivate them. They use silver as a natural antibacterial as result there are HEPA filters with Silver Nanoparticles Coated that have been proved to be 98% effective against common flu virus.

Ionic Air Filters/Purifiers

Typically, they produce negatively charged ions aka anions, which then attract positive particles in the air. As the particles make contact with the anions , these particles become too heavy to remain airborne and fall to the floor. Some ionisers are armed with some static plates which trap all those particles, but you have to clean them regularly. A very negative aspect of Ionic air filters is that they produce ozone O₃ as a by-product**, which has classified as a toxic gas that causes lung damage. Some companies claim that their ioniser doesn’t produce Ozone but it’s hard not to.

• Removes ultra-fine particles as small as 0.01µm
• Sterilizes bacteria, viruses, smoke, and other toxic fumes

UV Light Air Purifiers

High intensity UV-C light (240-280 nm) is strong enough to break down most carbon based organic compounds like bacteria and other pathogens by breaking the molecular bonds in their DNA. As a result they are designed to destroy micro-organisms such as germs, bacteria and mold and not to catch allergens and dust like a HEPA filter. This is why many companies combine a HEPA filter and UV Light. This is not a quick process, the pathogens must pass through the UV light multiple times in order to be destroyed.

NTP Non Termal Plasma Purifiers

This is fairly new technology also called Cold Plasma that works like an Ionizer but it splits Oxygen O2 molecules into positive and negative ones. These single oxygen atoms are highly reactive and stick to particles, bacteria, viruses or gases to destroy them or to turn them into harmless substances. They also produce Ozone as a by-product** but in less quantities around ∼0.0058PPM, the World Health Oraginization, EPA and many country standards have set the maximum level of ozone concentration at 0.05PPM.

**The shocking truth is that many devices in your home produce ozone by-product like TVs, computers, electric mixers, hair dryers and ceiling fans.

Spathiphyllum aka Peace Lily or Spath is a native to tropical regions of the Americas and southeastern Asia.

With wide leaves,  mostly white flowers and over 40 species, Peace Lily is well known for its air-purifying abilities. It’s great at breaking down and neutralizing toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, toluene and xylene.

Spathiphyllum is mildly toxic to humans and animals when ingested. The Peace Lily is not a true lily from the Liliaceae family. True lilies are much more toxic to cats and dogs. The Peace Lily contains calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause skin irritation, a burning sensation in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, and nausea.

Peace lilies love shade and some indirect light. They like a consistent temperature between about 65°F/18°C and 80°F/27°C. Peace lilies like to be watered a lot at once, but also need a chance to dry out afterward. The plant will drop a bit when thirsty, telling you when it needs water. Remember to clean its leaves when dust accumulates.

It’s in my opinion a beautiful plant for the living-room.

Breathing ozone O₃ can trigger a variety of health problems, particularly for children, the elderly, and people of all ages who have lung diseases such as asthma. Ground level ozone can also have harmful effects on sensitive vegetation and ecosystems.

Chemically, black carbon or BC is a component of fine particulate matter PM ≤ 2.5 µm. It is formed through the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuel, and biomass.

Black carbon causes human morbidity and premature mortality. Short-term and long-term exposures to PM2.5 are associated with a broad range of human health impacts, including respiratory and cardiovascular effects as well as premature death.

BC stays in the atmosphere for only several days to weeks, while carbon dioxide (CO₂) has an atmospheric lifetime of more than 100 years but the impact of BC is much stronger because BC interacts with clouds, warms the Earth by absorbing heat and light in the atmosphere and by reducing albedo (reflectivity) when deposited on snow and ice.

Sources

• 42% Open biomass burning (forest and savanna burning)
• 18% Residential biofuel burned with traditional technologies
• 14% Diesel engines for transportation (Probably lot more)
• 10% Diesel engines for industrial use
• 10% Industrial processes and power generation, usually from smaller boilers
• 6% Residential coal burned with traditional technologies

Impacts

• Public health
• Climate
• Global warming

Solutions

Reducing emissions of BC immediately! Thank you Volkswagen for all those years of contamination! (#diselgate)

First, harmful substances and VOCs waft from countless sources in our daily lives, including adhesives, ceiling tiles, photocopiers, wall paint, furnitures, upholstery etc.

We can find the key to our answer from NASA’s experiment, they found that plants absorb airborne pollutants as part of their normal “breathing” process (CO2 carbon dioxide in, O2 oxygen out) and transport them to their roots, where microbes feed on and detoxify them.

As result we need to have in mind that that roots and the soil are very important for optimum results. I will talk about this in the future.

The scientists have measured the filtering capacity of specific plants by putting them into sealed chambers and releasing toxic chemicals, then measuring how much of each chemical remains at 12-hour intervals. The results have been stunning. They found that the most effective plants had a high transpiration rate and they emit more moisture into the environment. This is the result of a natural pumping action. As plants pull air down to their roots, they pump moisture out. They have also found that over time at least one plant, the lady palm, actually becomes more efficient at disposing of the gas.

Is recommend using a mix of plants, two or three plants in 8-inch or 10-inch pots for every 100 square feet of floor space. Now be aware that the more plants you have more excessive humidity you will get, which can contribute to the growth of mold and bacteria. To help prevent that, don’t let your plants sit in stagnant water. Once the water has drained through the soil into the tray below, remove it.  Sub-irrigation planters are a fair option but you have to discourage mold from growing on top of the soil by covering it with moss or gravel.

My personal recommendation is to keep a plant on top of your work desk, on top of your night stand and next to your sofa which are your personal breathing zones.

Chlorophytum comosum aka Spider Plant or airplane plant or hen-and-chickens is native to tropical and southern Africa plant but it is easy to grow as a houseplant.

With lots of long leaves and tiny white flowers, the spider plant is able to eliminate formaldehyde, toluene and xylene, a solvent used in the leather, rubber and printing industries. As an added bonus, this plant is also considered a safe houseplant if you have pets in the house, (remember Snake Plant isn’t). It is also an efficient filter of carbon monoxide. An effective place to grow spider plants is near fireplaces, kitchens and offices.

Likes bright, indirect light or fluorescent lighting, remember to use room temperature rain or purified water. Let the pot surface feel dry to the touch before watering. Water until water drains from the bottom and empty drained water from trays promptly. Remember to repot them in case they grow too big.

Keep it between 40ºF/4.5ºC and 85ºF/29.5ºC.

Aloe Vera is my second must have home plant for many reasons. First of all it is an easy to grow plant, that loves the sun and helps clear the air from formaldehyde and benzene, which can be a byproduct of chemical-based cleaners, paints and more. Aloe is a great choice for sunny kitchen windows and bedrooms. Besides its air-clearing abilities, the aloe gel inside the plant can help heal cuts, burns and other skin issues.

Like Snake Plant, Aloe Vera also produces Oxygen O2 during night time.

If you are planning to grow Aloe Vera indoors then it’s an easy task. Keep the pot on a sunny spot, water deeply, but sparingly (let it drain good). Aloe plants are pretty low-maintenance, since they don’t require much water. if it’s possible use rainwater. Temperature range for a happy aloe plant is between 70°F/21°C – 80°F/26°C but will survive down to 40ºF/5°C.