The Airora Guide to Indoor Air Quality and Pollution
Why indoor air quality matters
In the open air, 'Hydroxyl Radical Cascades' are continuously created by the complex chemical interactions that occur naturally in the atmosphere. Hydroxyls are the powerful but entirely safe and natural air cleaning agent, often referred to by scientists as 'Natures Detergent', which continuously decontaminate the air and gives 'fresh air' that clean and refreshing feel that we all love.
Indoors, the natural atmospheric ingredients that continuously create hydroxyl radicals don't exist and allergens remaining active, smells remain smelly, and bacteria and viruses constantly build up in the air and on surfaces.
Indoor air is therefore generally much more polluted than outdoor air, yet until recently it has received far less public attention. We often spend up to 90% of our time indoors (at home, work or at school), so exposure to indoor air pollution is potentially much more damaging to our health.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that our indoor air is typically 5x more polluted than outdoor air. Some homes may even have 100x more pollution. This is why the World Health Organisation (WHO) considers indoor air pollution as one of the main health threats today, and states that around 3% of the global burden of disease is directly attributable to it.
Indoor air pollution
Indoor air pollution is a complex mixture of microbes and substances in the air that are potentially harmful to health. The composition of this indoor air pollution can vary greatly depending, for example, where you live and on the contents of your home.
In a home in a non-urban setting for example, house dust mite, pollen and mould spores can be a major cause of indoor air pollution and related health problems. In a new-build home or office, fumes from paints and insulation, new carpet and furniture can significantly contribute to the pollution. Especially in industrial or built up areas, traffic and industry pollution also play an increasing part in indoor air pollution.
In our homes the build-up of both bacteria and viruses in the air is much greater than outside.
Types of pollution
The size of the particles found in indoor air pollution range from 100 microns to smaller than 0.01 microns. The heavier particles tend to settle as dust but are easily stirred up again when someone walks through a room or when a surface is dusted.
Damp dusting, not just dry dusting, is needed to reliably remove dust rather than just spreading it around. Most carpets are a major reservoir for dust and for every six rooms in a house around 40 pounds of dust is generated in a single year, much of which is human skin as we regularly shed our outer layer of skin as part of a continuous renewal process.
The main components of dust which can affect your health indoors are:
• Bacteria and viruses.
• House dust mite.
• Mould spores.
• Pollen.
• Soot.
• Pet dander (including cat saliva).
• Particulate cigarette smoke.
Particles of less than 0.1 microns in size and gaseous pollution includes:
• The gaseous, that is non-particulate, components of cigarette smoke.
• Combustion products such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides from boilers and cookers.
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs):
− Such as formaldehyde, which slowly seeps out from carpet or medium density fibreboard often used in DIY or flat pack furniture.
− As found in a wide range of household products including cleaning solutions, air fresheners, aerosol toiletries and paint.
• Ozone, which at too high a level is a known lung irritant.
• Radon is a radioactive gas that can be found in homes in certain areas if they are built on rocks containing uranium which naturally decays to radon.
Thirteen common sources of indoor air pollution
- Biological pollutants
Mould, bacteria, viruses, pollen, and dust mites can cause diseases, trigger hay fever or induce asthma in adults and children.
- Chlorine bleach
Chlorine by-products like chloramines and trihalomethanes are formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter from humans and pets like skin, hair, and bacteria.
Inhaling these chemicals can irritate and cause damages to the respiratory system.
- Household cleaning chemicals, paints and solvents
These products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
VOCs can trigger ‘sick building syndrome’ symptoms such as headaches, skin and throat irritation when people are exposed to them on a regular basis.
- Synthetic air fresheners, fragrances, perfumes and deodorizers
Substances used in air fresheners, fragrances, perfumes and deodorizers are largely unregulated.
Some of the highly volatile and semi-volatile chemicals used have been found to be toxic, and can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions, central nervous system disorders, reproductive disorders, birth defects, and cancer.
- Dry cleaned clothes
These usually contain trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene -- highly toxic substances that are known to cause cancer.
- Tobacco smoke
Second hand smoke contains 200 known poisons and 43 carcinogens.
- Pet dander
Hairs, saliva and skin flakes from animals can also be sources of respiratory irritants.
- Carpets and upholstery
Home soft furnishings often use formaldehyde as permanent adhesive - a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent smell.
Formaldehyde is classified as a known human carcinogen by the World Health Organization.
- Building and decorating materials
Volatile organic gases are released by materials, such as paint, lacquer, glue and plywood.
Toxic VOCs (volatile organic compounds) can be emitted by building materials years after installation.
- Candles
A study done by the South Carolina State University in the U.S. found that candles made of paraffin wax release toxic chemicals such as toluene and benzene that can quickly build up to unhealthy level in enclosed areas.
During combustion, all candles release some carbon particles (soot) that become airborne and can lead to respiratory problems, even penetrating your bloodstream through your lungs.
- Office and craft materials
Minute particles and gases from copiers, laser printers, correction fluid, graphics and craft materials can also be a source of ultra-fine particles and VOCs that can penetrate deep into the lungs.
- Combustion pollutants
These are gases or particles that are emitted by unvented or poorly vented fuel-burning appliances such as a fireplace, heater, wood or gas stove, water heater and dryer.
Some of the hazardous gases that may be produced include nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.
- External pollution
Pollution from vehicle exhausts and industry can enter a building from outside, especially in built-up areas.
Health effects
• Airborne human pathogens (bacteria and viruses, such as Coronavirus) can cause colds, flu and much worse.
• Exposure to indoor air pollution can trigger attacks of asthma, hay fever, rhinitis and other allergic conditions.
Asthmatics and others with breathing problems will be well aware of the complications and difficulties that lung and throat infections cause.
• The adverse health effects of second hand tobacco smoke, including triggering asthma and increasing the risk of lung cancer, are well known.
• The health effects of VOCs can vary greatly, depending on the nature of the VOC, the level of exposure, and the length of exposure:
− Long-term exposure to significant concentrations of VOCs can cause damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.
− Short-term exposure to VOCs can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue and allergic skin reactions. Exposure to VOCs is thought to contribute to 'Sick Building Syndrome' and
− ‘Multiple Chemical Sensitivity’ which are poorly understood chronic conditions marked by a wide range of symptoms including headaches, lack of concentration and fatigue.
• Research has also shown that exposure to combustion products from wood burning stoves and gas cookers can have a number of adverse effects on heart and lung health.
Can traditional air purifiers help?
Clearly, an effective air cleaner could play an essential part in reducing indoor air pollution in your home or place of work.
However, the key word here is ‘effective’ and the unfortunate truth is that traditional air cleaners (filters), of whatever type, are not very effective in cleaning all of the air in a room. Indeed, the UK Governments SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) committee considered their use during the Covid pandemic and rejected traditional air cleaners as an effective first line solution.
SAGE’s lack of enthusiasm stems from the fact that, air filters, irrespective of type, are slow to act, only remove some types of pollutant, and then only from the air that passes through the filter, not from all the ever changing air in a room.
SAGE also notes that we should not take typical manufacturer’s claims that filters are 99% or more effective at face value. They observe that the 99% only refers to the effectiveness of the filter itself in removing the target type of pollution, not all pollution, as it passes through the device. SAGE reports that the effectiveness of air filters, in terms of cleaning the air throughout a room, is, in practice, only a fraction of 99%.
What about Airora?
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Airora is NOT a filter, it is a Hydroxyl Diffuser which emits an invisible Hydroxyl Cascade, as occurs naturally outdoors, indoors. The Hydroxyl Cascade spreads throughout a room in seconds by molecular diffusion, without relying on air movement, thoroughly decontaminating all the air and surfaces as it goes. |
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Airora benefits include:
• Proven to safely destroy all types of germs (including coronavirus), allergens, odours, VOCs and most other pollutants throughout entire indoor spaces.
• 1000+ times more effective, and far faster acting than any type of filter.
• The UK's Health Protection Agency measured a 99.9999% reduction of airborne germs in less than 5 minutes!
• Uniquely, meets all of SAGE’s requirements for an effective air purifier.
• Creates an active person to person infection barrier, something no filter can do.
• Sanitises all surfaces as well as the air in a room, something no filter can do.
You can find out all about Airora at airora.com
And contact us at support@airora.com
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