Hubbard HF1, Coleman BK, Sarwar G, Corsi RL.Author information1Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, Center for Energy & Environmental Resources, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758, USA.AbstractThe use of indoor ozone generators as air purifiers has steadily increased over the past decade. In addition to the harmful effects of ozone, recent studies have shown that heterogeneous and homogeneous reactions between ozone and some unsaturated hydrocarbons can be an important source of indoor secondary pollutants, including free radicals, carbonyls, carboxylic acids, and fine particles. Human exposure to secondary organic particles can be reduced by minimizing the intentional release of ozone, particularly in the presence of terpene sources.These results add evidence to the potentially harmful effects of ozone generation in residential environments.PMID: 16268833 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2005.00388.x [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Publication TypesResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tMeSH TermsAerosolsAir Pollution, Indoor/prevention & control*FiltrationHousingHumansHydrocarbons/analysis*Hydrocarbons/chemistryOxidants, Photochemical/chemistry*Ozone/chemistry*Particle SizeSubstancesAerosolsHydrocarbonsOxidants, PhotochemicalOzoneFull Text SourcesWileyOvid Technologies, Inc.Other Literature SourcesCOS Scholar UniverseMedicalIndoor Air Pollution - MedlinePlus Health InformationOzone - MedlinePlus Health InformationMiscellaneousOZONE - Hazardous Substances Data BankNCI CPTAC Assay Portal

Posted by Mickey Alcantara on 12/15/2014 to The California ARB board passed a law making it illegal to buy or sell ozone air purifiers in their state. protect little old ladies from unscrupulous air purifier vendors who fob off ozone generators as air purifiers which according to them create stage 2 smog alert levels of ozone indoors and can cause permanent harm to granny's lungs. hipaa electronic air cleanerAre they right or wrong to deny California citizens the right to possess an ozone producing air purifier? air scrubber rental new york cityBefore I got into the ozone business, I sold air purifiers and even spent some time testing indoor air for an environmental testing company. thermax water based air purifier

I studied and learned all about indoor air pollutants, VOC's, even some disgusting information on the types of biological "crap" that hotel visitors unwittingly breath in (almost always) because hotels don't clean comforters often and sometimes semen turns into dust ...you get the picture.  Anyway, I learned that ozone breaks down those biological agents into inert dust that will not trigger an allergic reaction among those with a deficient immune system. Fecal dust from dust mites floating around, mold spores, the organic human material floating around, VOC's from cleaning agents thrown into the mix not to mention all of the toxins in our garden variety air pollution and you realize why indoor air is even more harmful to breath than our polluted outdoor air. So what does the ARB want California residents to do?  Buy a HEPA filter that needs to be replaced ever 3 months, won't do a thing to address the toxic crap in the air and frankly doesn't even do a good job of removing dust because air purifiers lack the air moving ability needed to churn the air and draw the dust near the roof down to the filter intake slot of the air purifier.  

Why is ozone called a toxic gas, even smog?  Draw attention away from the tax paying industries that pollute our air towards ozone, which nature created to rid the air of pollution. We'd all die if we didn't have ozone "down low" to oxidize and destroy pollutants near ground level.  When there is a lot of pollution in the air, there will be a lot of ozone present doing it's thing;  getting rid of the pollutants. Instead of measuring the pollutants our authorities measure the ozone in the air and call it "ozone smog".  Who is really to blame for smog?  Older commercial trucks and buses that are not required to have emissions controls.  Years ago I lobbied California law makers to mandate that ALL trucks and buses no matter how old be required to possess emissions control devices and suggested the state subsidize 90% of the cost to achieve that goal and partner with factories in China to get those devices made for pennies on the dollar. It was a good idea that was shot down by lobbyists for the trucking and bus industries. 

So is California wrong to outlaw ozone air purifiers? I personally don't have a problem with this ban to be honest. Ozone is best utilized in high concentration shock treatments.  Fact is anyone can buy a repeat cycle timer and use one of our shock treatment ozone machines to cut on for only 5 seconds ever 10 minutes or so (depends on area size) to create .05 ppm ozone concentrations in the air to keep it virus and bacteria free, and odor free, especially if they own pets. This isn't the best way to purify your indoor air however. What is the best way to transform your toxic indoor air into dust free, mold, virus and allergen free fresh air? Here is the protocol I feel is a sound solution to indoor air pollution in California and anywhere. If one were to flow this indoor air cleaning protocol I can't see how it would not positively impact your health and the health of your family:1)  Your HVAC system fan is under 200 watts, doesn't waste that much electricity.  When on, it draws all the air in your residence over a furnace filter THREE TIMES an hour!  

Leave the "fan" feature on 24/7 and change your furnace filter ever 3-4 weeks. (It will become black ...better it than your lungs!)2) Utilize a MERV 11 furnace filter.  Ebay sells them for around $5 each if you buy 12. Great deal, can't beat it with a stick. 3) Install a 16" UVC system and place some type of nano tio2 filter nearby to create hydroxyl radicals, short lived but powerful oxidizers that along with the UV  rays will kill any biological material as it passes by, even mold spores and viruses. 4) Perform a 1 hour weekly ozone shock treatment with 1000 mg/h per 100 sq ft when nobody is home.  Place ozone machines ever 20 feet or so and one near the air return. This will kill dust mites and neutralize their fecal remains and the poop from roaches and other bugs, a major source of allergens indoors.  We all shed 3 lbs of dead skin a year and that's what dust mites eat, so we all have dust mites. Some of us just choose to breath their fecal remains and some of us don't. Besides doing those things, never clean with chemicals, use simple green or some vinegar and essential oil based cleaners (look up green cleaners).  

NEVER use air fresheners.  Fabreze has over 70 known indoor air pollutants and even one carcinogen .....how they are able to sell that as something that doesn't just cover up odors but eliminates them when in fact they are causing indoor air pollution is beyond me.  Maybe they have friends in high places so I better shut up. If my website goes down tomorrow you'll know why, lol.  One last word on this subject.  Every year cheaply built ozone generators typically sold for under $100 and which look like air purifiers are mistaken for air purifiers, usually by a relative visiting from out of town to spend the night in your mountain cabin for instance, and the end result is death or a close call.  If someone falls asleep with one of these 3500 mg/h so called "ozone air purifiers" running in a bedroom, the ozone concentrations can reach over 10 ppm and do some serious damage to the sleeping persons lungs. Most litigation involving ozone generators deals with this particular scenario.