YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollectionsHouses Last fall, Diane Nathanson, a Toluca Lake resident who is allergic to pollens and other airborne particles, bought an air purifier, thinking that it would also cut down on cooking smells and odor from the dog."But then I saw a Consumer Reports study that said the model I bought wasn't very effective, so I took it back," says Nathanson. "After that, I heard about the Living Air Flair on the radio. It was used at the Pentagon to clear the air after the 9/11 attacks, so I bought that. It does seem to help, but I don't use it all the time because my husband doesn't like the noise."Air pollution and allergies plague many in Southern California. At this time of year, Angelenos are facing the official end of the ozone smog season, and the rise of fine particulate pollution.To combat this, consumers are increasingly turning to home air purifiers. According to the latest figures from Consumer Reports, concerns about pollution, allergies and terrorism spurred sales of 3.4 million units by consumers in 2002, up 70% from 2000.The top-selling five brands of air purifiers, based on unit sales from July 2003 to June 2004, include Sharper Image's Ionic Breeze, Holmes, Honeywell, Oreck and Hamilton Beach, according to NPD Group, a market research firm.

Air purifiers generally fall into three categories: HEPA filters, electronic cleaners (which include ion generators or ionizers), and hybrids, which use more than one filter to capture different sized particles in the air.According to physicians and the American Lung Assn., air cleaners that use HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters are the most efficient and remove the smallest particles. They are used in hospitals and other areas that require clean indoor environments. Of the top five sellers, Holmes, Honeywell and Hamilton Beach offer HEPA models.The most recent testing by Consumer Reports showed that overall, electronic cleaners were not very effective.Dr. Michael Hirt, with the Center for Integrative Medicine in Tarzana, advises against buying electronic air purifiers that use ion generators or ionizers, which generate negatively charged ions. The ions act as a magnet for dust, which is then collected on a steel plate, or inadvertently adheres to other objects in the room."

As soon as the charge wears off, the dust falls to the floor, and you're surrounded by it again," says Hirt. "More importantly, the ionization process creates ozone, which is an air pollutant and an oxidant. We take antioxidants to help counter the effect of oxidants on our bodies, so pumping ozone into your home potentially has a negative effect."genie in room air purifierHirt says running an ion generator for short periods of time when no one is home is probably safe, but consumers should understand that the main purpose of doing so is to rid the house of odors, not to clean the air itself.air duct cleaning port orchardBengt Rittri, president of Blueair Inc., which manufactures air purifiers with ion generators, says his products reduce the ozone in a room, and do not add to it."enviro vac air duct cleaning

Our protective galvanized steel housing eats ozone, reducing and not adding ozone to the environment," says Rittri.Physicians note that even the best air purifiers don't always help allergy sufferers."I recommend them, but it depends on the situation," says Dr. Joseph Gaudencio Dizon, an allergy immunology specialist with Kaiser Permanente. "It's good for dealing with pollens and molds that may be in the environment, or even for animal dander. But if someone's allergic to dust mites, air purifiers are not that helpful because dust mites don't tend to be airborne."A one-dimensional model of a negative ion source A J T Holmes Plasma Sources Science and Technology, A theoretical model is presented which uses one-dimensional plasma transport to describe a hydrogen discharge in which negative ions are formed. The model is based on discharges which are confined by a magnetic multipole field on the anode surface (multipole or `bucket' sources) and includes the effects of weak transverse magnetic fields within the plasma to cool the electron temperature in the discharge to a level at which dissociative attachment collisions allow significant fractional densities of ions to form.

The transport equations are based on the moments of the Boltzmann equation and these are coupled with the plasma collision processes associated with ionization and negative ion production. The presence of negative ions in the plasma allows the electron transport across the magnetic fields to be anomalously high because each electron spends part of its time as a negative ion which is only weakly affected by the field. The model is tested on two multipole sources which have produced negative current densities up to around and have extensive measurements of the electron and ion densities, electron temperature and plasma potential as functions of position, arc current, voltage and pressure. The model uses the source geometry and arc parameters to calculate the plasma properties and obtains good agreement with experiment in both cases. In the companion paper the model is tested on a third source chamber with different diagnostics.There are widespread outbreaks of airborne diseases everywhere.

The scary part: most of it is new and there are no studies or vaccines available to fight it. Thus, it is important to do your best to prevent acquiring these airborne diseases. One way to do it is by using air freshener. It helps in eliminating bacteria and viruses that are harmful to our respiratory system. Below is the list of top 10 best air fresheners.Best Choice Ionic Air Purifier8. Holmes HEPA-Type Desktop Air Purifier7. Winix PlasmaWave 5300 Air Cleaner Model6. Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier5. Honeywell 50250-S Air Purifier3. Hamilton Beach 04383A True Air Allergen-Reducing Air Cleaner2. Lasko 2551 Wind Curve Platinum TowerShare this:Related Looking for a cost and eco-friendly air freshener? You should consider Enerzen Air Purifier, which has several functions. First, it is a commercial/industrial grade ozone generator that has a portable design, which means it can be used anywhere. Second, it is a powerful odor eliminator and deodorizer that eliminates virtually any odors from molds, cigarette, pet odors, paint/cleaning fumes, dust, water damage, smoke damage, cooking odors, and other airborne irritants.

Third, it helps to eliminate retard mold, mildew, and fungus growth. Lastly, it has a timer function that allows you to control the duration of purification. One of the best air purifiers is Best Choice Ionic Air Purifier. It has the state-of-the-art air purification system that recreates the natural balance of positive and negative ions. This air purifier eliminates odors from molds, pollen, allergies, chemical gasses, dust, tobacco smoke, pet smells, paint fumes, food and beverages, and other elements that causes sneezing, asthma, itchy eyes, sinus, and ear irritations.  It is made up of stainless steel, solid color cherry wood cabinet, and ceramic plates for cleaning. Plus, it covers up to 3,500 ft2 of space. If you need a highly efficient filter that can be used in table or desktop, then Holmes HEPA-Type Desktop Air Purifier is suitable for you. The HEPA filter can remove up to 99% of airborne particles and allergens, which can be as small as 2 microns, from indoor air. It also has carbon filtration that reduces unpleasant odors up to 44%.

Moreover, it has handy filter indication, 3-speed settings for different conditions, and optional ionizer that assists in particle removal. Advanced technologies that help purify the air are the primary features of the Winix PlasmaWave 5300 Air Cleaner Model. It has a combination of 99.97% efficient True-HEPA filter, odor control carbon pre-filter, and PlasmaWave Technology. The PlasmaWave technology safely breaks apart odors, allergens, chemical vapors, and other indoor pollutants at the molecular level without producing any harmful by-products. Furthermore, it has a 3-stage air cleaning process that effectively removes a wide range of pollutants inside your home, such as dust, smoke, pollen, odors, pet dander, mold spores, and organic chemicals that are harmful to your home environment and can irritate your respiratory system. It also has an additional air quality sensor and is suitable to use in 350 ft2 room. The main feature of Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier is its three-stage filtration system, comprised of a pre-filter, carbon filter, and true HEPA filter.

The pre-filter is the outside grill that captures large particles and preventing them from entering the unit. In case a large particle finds its way inside, it is promptly caught by the carbon filter. It also works to eliminate unwanted odors and protect the life of the HEPA filter. Lastly, the HEPA filter provides a maximum filtration of 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns and larger. It filters air 4.8 times per hour in a 500 ft2 room using its four fan speeds plus sleep and turbo modes. Purify and humidify the air inside your home using the URPOWER Diffuser. This technology has five functions including as air purifier, aromatherapy diffuser, humidifier, ionizer, and night light. The ultrasonic diffusing technology breaks the water and essential oil so there is no need for heat. It can improve the air quality by providing moisture for a dry cough, sinus irritation, and dry skin. You can also put 500mL of water to continue using it up to 10 hours and after depleting the water, it will automatically turn off.

The ionizer releases negative ions into the air to combat harmful positive ions and provides several health benefits like the improvement of breathing, strengthening of immune system, and relieving stress. For bigger rooms, Honeywell 50250-S Air Purifier is the best choice. It is AHAM certified for use in rooms up to 390 ft2. The True HEPA filter that it uses is a glass fiber type, which captures up to 99.97% of particles that are as small as 0.3 microns, and can be used for 3-5 years. Its special feature is the Intell-Check™ Electronic Filter Indicator that tells you when to change or clean the filters. Plus, it has carbon activated pre-filter that helps capture large particles including dust, lint, and fur and reduces common household odors. With its compact design and big capacity, you will surely like Hamilton Beach True Air. It is quiet and compact, yet it offers a powerful air-cleaning performance. It is suitable for 160 ft2 rooms using its high-performance HEPA filter that captures 99% of dander and airborne particles as small as 3 microns.