How hazardous are particles in the air, really? They can't be seen. They can't be felt. Do they actually pose a threat or have any effect at all? In truth, these airborne particles pose a serious threat. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, inhaling particulates can instigate or intensify a variety of illnesses, including lung disease, and can even lead to death. In America alone, lung disease causes 300,000 deaths every year. Including such illnesses as asthma, chronic respiratory infections, and lung cancer, this disease ranks as the third highest cause of death in the country. Lung cancer alone, which is most often caused by smoking, results in more deaths than prostate, breast, and colon cancers combined. Due to this fact, the American Lung Association is pouring funding into research to prevent and cure the disease. Findings have pointed to the reality that air pollution, which consists of particulate matter, is a leading contributor to lung disease. And while many tend to think of outdoor air as the primary culprit, about half of all sicknesses can actually be attributed to hazardous particles found indoors. In fact, many pollution levels found in homes are two to five times greater than levels in the air outdoors. In addition, airborne particles emitted inside have a much greater probability of reaching the lungs. Due to enclosed space, particulates are readily inhaled. These particles then make their home in the lungs, and some even pass on to the bloodstream where they can contribute to further illness. Those inhaling the particles may experience such symptoms as shortness of breath, phlegm, coughing, or wheezing. Imperative to lowering the risks of lung disease is pure air. While reducing the sources of pollution would be ideal, this solution is not always achievable. For example, such particles as smoke, aerosol sprays, dust, bacteria, viruses, and mold are common indoor air pollutants and a part of almost everyone's lives. To help reduce these particulates and others, the Environmental Protection Agency suggests the use of air cleaners such as those used in UV disinfection. A UV light air cleaner consistently maintains pure air, keeping it healthful and safe for breathing. The UV clarifier often employs a HEPA filter and a UV light bulb (probe) to trap and destroy a large variety of airborne particulates, including dust mites, pollen, pet dander, germs, chemical fumes, and odors. Negative ions and hydroxyl radicals, both natural to the Earth's atmosphere, also contribute to purifying the air. Of utmost concern are fine particles, those that are so small they can only be seen with the aid of an electron microscope. These particulates, which are approximately one thirtieth the width of a strand of hair, easily pass through nasal or throat passages and make their way into the lungs where they destroy lung tissue and cilia. A UV light air cleaner catches and destroys fine particles before they have the chance to be inhaled. The HEPA filter in a UV clarifier acts as the trap. As a fan moves air through the UV light air cleaner, particulates are captured by the cloth-like filter and, therefore, cannot again enter the air. This type of filter can trap 99.9% of particulates .3 of a micron or larger (a micron equals one millionth of a meter) and often lasts several years, depending on how dirty the air in a building is. Aiding the HEPA filter in destroying particulates is a UV light bulb (probe). Within the UV clarifier, ultraviolet light from the UV light bulb (probe) shines constantly on the filter. When the particles are trapped, this ultraviolet light actually mutilates the DNA of micro-organisms, including dust mites, bacteria, mold spores, and viruses. The particulates are thus destroyed and no longer a threat to health. Negative ions, which are generated by electricity, also contribute to UV disinfection. From the UV light air cleaner, negative ions are released into indoor air where they attract hazardous particulates. These positively charged particulates attach to the negatively charged ions, forming clusters and becoming heavy enough to fall out of the air and onto surfaces where they can be dusted or vacuumed rather than inhaled. Negative ions are beneficial to UV disinfection as they have the ability to eliminate extremely fine particulates from the air which the HEPA filter may not be able to capture. As these ions are emitted from the UV clarifier, they disperse and thus are able to remove particles even several feet away from the UV light cleaner itself. These helpful ions are even further beneficial as they are known to decrease anxiety, energize, improve the function of the lungs' cilia, and keep air fresh. Finally, an ultraviolet clarifier produces hydroxyl radicals, which are said to be one of the most effective purifying agents in Earth's atmosphere. These hydroxyls form when hydrogen molecules are pulled from water molecules in the air's natural humidity by the rays of the UV light bulb (probe). Working indoors just as they do outside, the resulting hydroxyl radicals cleanse the indoor air of odors, vapors, and chemical fumes. Although indoor air pollution often goes unnoticed, especially as a cause of serious health concerns, it is a large factor in illnesses such as lung disease. While the American Lung Association continues to press the government for research funding to aid in prevention and to find a cure, UV disinfection can assist in keeping indoor air free of pollutants. With pure indoor air, those most at risk can breathe a little easier.
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