Know the air purifier you buy Reports indicate that since 2012-13, the sale of air purifiers, which promise to clean up in the air in homes and offices, has more than doubled July 11, 2015 Last Updated at 00:13 IST Air purifier sales surge on rising pollution worries Aquaguard switches from direct selling to retail Blueair set to expand their presence in India; Dinesh Mohan: Dealing with pollution in our cities It's a losing battle against air pollution in Delhi With pollution levels in several Indian cities touching alarming levels, a number of people are investing in air purifiers. Reports indicate that since 2012-13, the sale of these gadgets, which promise to clean up in the air in homes and offices, has more than doubled. The consumer is spoilt for choice with air purifiers from several brands - BlueAir, Sharp, Panasonic, Eureka Forbes, Philips, Honeywell and others - available in the market. They can cost anything between Rs 3,000 and Rs 95,000 or more.

But before rushing out to buy one, it is important to understand how these gadgets work and the technologies to look for and the ones to avoid. There are different kinds of air purifiers depending on the technology they employ to clean up the air. First up are those that remove particulate matter and allergens by using a filter. "A combination of a good HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter and a sound carbon filter is crucial for an efficient air purifier," says Barun Aggarwal, the director of BreatheEasy, a Delhi-based clean-air consultancy firm. Certain brands such as Sharp, BlueAir and larger models of Philips score on this front. However, a lot of machines do not come with pre-filters that are necessary, or are at least recommended, given Indian conditions where the air has large particulate matter and heavy pollutants. Pre-filters suck in and filter out larger particles that could otherwise choke the HEPA filter. If the HEPA filter gets choked, you will need to change it sooner than later and that can be a costly affair because these filters are expensive.

Then there are the ionising purifiers, which create charged molecules called ions. Most molecules in the air have neutral charge, which means they have the same number of positive and negative electrons. When these molecules pass through the ionising purifier, they either pick up or drop an additional electron, thus giving the molecule a negative or positive charge. air duct cleaning salem nhOnce charged, the particle is drawn to anything that has the opposite charge (remember the law of physics that says opposites attract?). air purifier in johorTwo metal plates in the air purifier - one charged positive and the other negative - attract these particles.air duct cleaning cape coral Also available in the market are ozone generators that change the molecules of oxygen (O2) into ozone (O3).

Ozone, it is claimed, removes odours and infection-causing elements from the air. Yet another technology uses the ultraviolet (UV) radiation to clean up the air. The UV light targets airborne viruses and bacteria. Then there are air purifiers that work on nanotechnology, which is said to remove, besides nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide, the harmful volatile organic compounds that add to smog and ozone levels. Panasonic air purifiers employ nanotechnology. It's a confusing choice, no doubt. So ideally consult an expert before buying an air purifier. By and large, what you should focus on is: the quality of the filter, the speed of the fan, clean air delivery rate and the noise the machine generates. "Almost every brand gives the machine's efficiency data based on running them at high speed, which is a big flaw because at high speed, some machines are very noisy," says Aggarwal. For example, the company's claim could be that a particular model works well for, say, a 300-sq-ft room.

"But you will find that it is effective in a room this size only when you run it at high speed," says Aggarwal. Air pollutants can be broadly classified into three categorise: particulate pollution; gaseous pollution (nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide); and microbiological pollutants (bacteria and viruses). The first two are harmful, even in small quantities. "The HEPA and carbon filters combined are effective for these," says Aggarwal. He, however, urges caution when going in for air purifiers that target viruses (like the negative ionisers) and bacteria (UV light). "With these you will be creating a sterile environment in your room. With time, your immunity is bound to come down." So, research, consult an expert or read up on some good websites and only then zero in on the air purifier most suited for your needs. Should You Rely Only on Your Corporate Health Insurance?MIT Sloan Executive Program in General ManagementNew to the stock market? Take your FirstStepSuper Saver Health Insurance for Whole FamilyBuy New Age Health Insurance with Added BenefitsServe the next wave-bring mobile broad band to everyoneOpen Free Demat A/c with low brokerage feeHome loans: Think beyond interest ratesMIT Sloan EPGM: Get Alumni benefits, Apply Now

NOTE: The following test results were conducted by various test labs for Panasonic Japan. All claims are made by and posted on Panasonic Global websites, we merely provide the direct translation here for you, these are not our claims. A lot of environmental factors can affect the results, like temperature, humidity, wind flow, ion concentration, etc. Also, Panasonic Japan does NOT imply any of their products as anti-infectious and/or medical devices. They're not intended for or capable of creating a 100%-sterile environment. All instructions are in Japanese and power converters (not adapters) are required to use these in the US. ► What is nanoe? The name nanoe is coined by Panasonic Japan from the words "nano-technology" & "electric". nanoe is water ion generated from air moisture. Its antimicrobial weapon - OH radicals, is wrapped and protected by water molecules. nanoe generating devices can generate up to 480 billion nanoe ions per second. nanoe has 1,000 times of moisture to regular negative ion.

nanoe is sized at between 5~20nm. It's covered by water since inception hence its longevity is 6~10x that of regular ions which translates into expansive coverage. Regular air ion has shorter life span & decays easily (e.g. interacting with O2, N, oppositely-charged counterparts, etc.) before reaching targets. nanoe has the pathogen-killing weapon called hydroxyls (OH) since formation, hence its antimicrobial power surpasses that of regular air ions which need oppositely-charged counterparts to complete said weapon. Its size is about 1 billionth that of steam (6,000nm), so it penetrates clothes fabric well for deodorization. ► How does nanoe zap pathogens? Its OH radicals is wrapped and protected by water molecules since inception. nanoe has the pathogen-killing weapon called hydroxyls (OH) since formation, hence its antimicrobial power surpasses that of regular ions. Just like Sharp Plasmacluster's bipolar air ions, OH Radical is effective in inhibiting pathogens permanently:

► How does nanoe benefit skin & hair? nanoe has 1,000 times more moisture than regular negative ion, so it moisturizes well. Its size is about 1 billionth that of steam (6,000nm), so it penetrates skin and hair shaft cuticle well, and be retained there long too. Improvement can be seen in a mere 2 weeks under normal conditions. Efushiji Research Institute recruited 20 female testers in the age of 38~42. 10 testers used nanoe-equipped air purifiers, the other 10 used regular ionic air purifiers, both groups used their devices for a straight 28 days and had their skin examined under microscope thereafter. nanoe is "wetter" than water. nanoe's weak acidic nature is ideal for nourishing skin and hair. ▷ See also: Vitamin C Shower Hair loses gloss and smoothness due to the swelling of cuticle caused by high pH hair products (and/or water). As pH goes up, hair cuticle swells up, water escapes, and the more damage the cuticle endures. nanoe reverses all these by creating a weak acidic environment, reducing cuticle swelling, moisturizing hair shaft microcropically, and the result is smooth, healthy and more manageable hair.

As expected, Panasonic also incorporates nanoe in their full line of blow dryer products. But nanoe ionic generators are equally effective in nourishing your hair. ► How does nanoe inhibit allergens like pollen, mite ? nanoe had been shown to suppress 99% of allergens (cedar pollen, cypress pollen, orchard grass, ragweed) after 2 hours in a closed vessel. Conducted by Panasonic Electric Works Analysis Center and Shinshu University Faculty of Textile Science according to the ELISA guidelines. ► How does nanoe suppress airborne mold fungus ? Airborne mold fungus just doesn't have a chance against nanoe. In Japan, Panasonic even equips their washers with nanoe technology to tackle mold buildup inside tanks between washes. nanoe is THAT effective in suppressing mold even in a humid environment. ► How does nanoe deodorize ? nanoe, due to its extremely nano size, penetrates fabric (e.g. carpet, curtains, sofa, etc.) that steam can't. nanoe also treats delicate fabric types like leather and/or unique shape items like hats that can be harmed during vigorous washings.

► How does nanoe eradicate pathogens ? Let it be viral or bacterial based, nanoe is very effective (99.9% viral reduction in 120 min in a 1m3 vessel, and 99% bacterial reduction in 240 min in a 10m3 vessel) in eradicating airborne (and attached) pathogens according to Panasonic Japan & Kitasato Research Center of Environmental Sciences. ► How does nanoe eradicate bacteria inside a refrigerator ? Below left diagram: In a sealed 400L refrigerator, 99% of a single type of floating bacteria (controlled) was eradicated within 30 minutes. NOTE: Panasonic Japan does NOT guarantee any prevention of food poisoning via the use of nanoe. Below right diagram: In a sealed 400L refrigerator, 99% of a single type of attached bacteria (controlled) was eradicated after 2 hours. NOTE: Both tests were conducted by Japan Food Research Laboratories. ► How does nanoe retain nutrients in and suppress discoloration of your produce ? nanoe allows you to maintain the taste and freshness of your vegetables longer by suppressing their ethylene gas output.