Articles

Chemical Allergies and Air Purifiers

We live in a chemical-filled world. Most chemicals with which we come in contact are not part of the ‘natural’ world and thus are considered ‘foreign’ to our bodies. Thus, many people suffer from something called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or MCS. What Exactly Is Chemical Sensitivity? Increasingly our society is based on chemistry. After World War II petrochemicals were developed and used in a variety of consumer goods. Plastics are the most ubiquitous of petrochemical products. In addition, petrochemicals began to appear in almost every household product including cleaning products, pesticides, detergents and perfumes/scents. Synthetic fabrics, carpeting and building materials were made with petrochemicals as well. These items tend to give off toxic fumes, especially when Read more [...]

Cosmetics Allergies and Air Purifiers

A cosmetics allergy is when some sort of makeup or skin care product causes an allergic reaction, either by contact or by inhalation. The reaction to a cosmetics allergy can range from a minor sniffle to a serious rash and immune response. Cosmetics can be in the form of creams, powders, liquids, soaps, shampoos, perfumes, conditioners, deodorants, etc….really anything that is put on one’s person. Contact Dermatitis Contact dermatitis happens when a person is sensitive to a chemical in the cosmetic. Contact dermatitis can result in a rash on the part of the body covered by the cosmetic or on the part of the body used to apply the cosmetic. One can either be allergic to the substance or irritated by the substance. An irritant actually damages the skin, which an allergy evokes an immune Read more [...]

Best Air Purifiers for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

Do you ever walk into a room only to be hit with a wall of odor from someone who decided to bathe in perfume? Or how about walking into a smoker’s house? Most people are sensitive to some type of airborne chemical, but people who suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) are extra sensitive to a large number of chemicals in very small quantities. MCS - A Frustrating Condition MCS is not recognized as a true medical condition. Further, there are people who will say that MCS is a psychosomatic response. But those who suffer from MCS *really* suffer. Some of the symptoms of MCS include nausea, headache, scratchy throat, itching eyes, runny nose, sleepiness, dizziness, abdominal cramping, joints aching, ear aches, confusion, etc. Some substances that often cause MCS are tobacco smoke, Read more [...]

Charcoal Air Purifier, Charcoal Filter, Chemical Air Purifier

The Truth about Charcoal Air Purifiers A charcoal air purifier or charcoal filter, also commonly known as an activated carbon air filter, works by absorbing the gases and odors in the air. However, the cost and size of a charcoal purifier filter varies considerably. Charcoal that is marketed as activated carbon has been treated with oxygen to open up millions of pores in between the carbon atoms. This works so well because the millions of tiny cells that are in the charcoal in addition to being very porous also attract and capture odors and gases. A carbon air filter is also often used in military gas masks and water purifiers. This is because it is capable of absorbing toxic gases in air as well as chlorine and other chemicals in water. When the available cells are full of absorbed Read more [...]

Nail Salon Air Purifier, Chemical Air Purifier

Cleaner Air in Your Nail Salon Many people are exposed to chemical fumes on a regular basis. Some are sensitive to the molecular pollutants that are floating around in the air and suffer asthma attacks, allergic reactions or other respiratory issues when exposed to pollutants in the air, such as those found in a nail salon. A nail salon air purifier helps to keep the air free of the molecular pollutants that cause adverse respiratory reactions. When unclean air is trapped indoors where it circulates, it becomes dangerous, even more so for people with an acute sensitivity to fumes and other air hazards. Since nail salons are public places, they must be cautious about the quality of air within their spaces. Anyone who enters the salon will be exposed to the contaminated air, causing a Read more [...]

Best Smoke Air Purifier

Best Smoke Air Purifier for Smokers Anyone who lives with a smoker knows the downside when it comes to air quality. Both the smell of stale cigarette smoke and the residues that smoking leaves are bothersome and may be an irritant as well. Besides the staining, the same tarry coating that discolors everything from computer screens to light fixtures is also risking health because of second hand smoke. Removing smoke from the air isn’t just for hygienic reasons, but also for basic health concerns.  There are specific air cleaners for smokers, but the right design must be selected. Constituents of smoke According to the National Cancer Institute, there are more than 250 harmful substances in cigarette smoke. A few of the known or suspected carcinogenic agents are: Arsenic – a poisonous Read more [...]

Air Purifiers Remove Office Chemicals

We tend to think of the office environment as neat, tidy and clean. With regular janitorial services, to the eye it certainly appears so. However, there are often undetected chemicals in the office environment, but that do have health effects. In fact, it is enough of a concern for the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (a department of the CDC) to devote an entire section of their website to the problem. And, unfortunately, it isn’t enough for building management to use air duct cleaning or normal air filter systems to fix all the problems. Air filter systems installed as part of the air handling equipment for a building will help reduce dust accumulation, as will regular air duct cleaning. What these procedures will not do is remove most chemical contaminants from the Read more [...]

Formaldehyde Exposure

Formaldehyde is a very small molecule, about the size of a single molecule of water. However, even though it is extremely tiny, it packs a big punch. It’s probably best known to the public for its preservative properties – solutions containing formaldehyde have been used to preserve biological specimens and even in embalming. The reason it is so effective at stopping bacterial growth is the same reason we don’t want it in our air; it is extremely poisonous. The cells in our bodies can be killed by formaldehyde as easily as bacterial or fungal cells are. Of particular importance is the concentration of formaldehyde in the air. Measurements are given in parts per billion (ppb). One ppb means one molecule of formaldehyde in a billion molecules of air. The section below on formaldehyde Read more [...]