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About Negative Ions/
Air
Ionizers
Research Studies and Facts
Negative ions have proven to be safe and
effective in a variety of studies. They enhance the
efficiency of air filters, and attack airborne particles
and pollutants wherever they may be floating.
Studies
Proving the Effectiveness of Negative Ions
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
The U.S.D.A.
discovered the following in recent studies conducted in a
poultry house, which are notoriously polluted:
- Reduced salmonella (bacteria)
transmission between chicks by 98%.
- Reduced airborne salmonella (bacteria) by
95%.
- Reduced airborne dust & particles by 99% in 60
seconds.
(Summary
of Study from USDA Website)
Journal of
Hygiene
This scientific publication reports that negative ions
cause dust particles to agglomerate and settle out of
air. For this same reason, ionization can improve the
efficiency of filters.
Good Housekeeping
Magazine
In March of 1999,
Good Housekeeping Magazine had its engineers test an ionizer by
using a smoke test, and found that it cleared out the smoke in a
tank.
Journal of Hygiene
Scientists showed that ionization reduced bacterial levels in burns and
plastic surgery units by over 96% after a two week period, which
results in much better and more rapid healing of patients.
Columbia
University
Researchers found people with winter and chronic
depression show that negative ion generators relieve
depression as much as antidepressants. It was also
determined that there are relatively no side effects.
European
Respiratory Journal
A statistically significant decrease of carbon
monoxide values was found with an ionizer activated.
This was discovered by researchers at Brompton Hospital
in London, and published in European Respiratory
Journal.
Journal of Applied
Microbiology
The use of negative ions was even found by scientists to reduce the
presence of airborne viruses by about 40%. A study featured in
the 1987 issue also showed the negative ions are free from any adverse
side effects.
St. James
University Hospital
Researchers have found that hospital-acquired
infections among patients in the Intensive Care Unit
were dramatically reduced when ionizers were
introduced - and have remained so since. The ionizers
were found to successfully remove bacteria from air,
reducing the transmission of infection.
Science
A 1976 study featured in this publication provided evidence that
negative ions can have a biologically lethal effect on airborne
microorganisms.
Journal of Hygiene
A 1979 study found that using negative ionization in the air protected
chickens from airborne infection of the deadly Newcastle Disease Virus.
Journal of Food
Protection
A 2001 study found that airborne negative ionization was highly
effective at destroying airborne and surface salmonella.
University of
Medicine and Pharmacy (Romania)
A test on male rats showed that just moderate levels of negative ions
increased the resistance of the rats, reducing or eliminating the effect
of some chemicals.
(Summary
of Study)
Effect of Negative
Ions on Drivers
A study by Toyota Central R & D Labs, Inc. found that negative ions
can improve fatigue and cognition of drivers. (Copy
of Study - PDF File)
Other Negative Ion
Studies:
Penn
State University Graduate School of Architectural Engineering &
Dept. of Biology
"Negative
Air Ions Stimulate Mitochondria" Institute of Theoretical and
Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow
Region, Russia.
How Negative Ions Purify the
Air
Virtually all particles in the air have
a positive charge, while negative ions have a negative charge. In which
case, negative ions and particles magnetically attract to one another.
When there is a high enough concentration of negative ions in the air,
they will attract to floating particles in large numbers. This causes
the particle to become too heavy to remain airborne. As a result, the
particle will fall out of the air, preventing it from being inhaled into
the respiratory tract where it can trigger breathing and health
problems.
The ionized particle will then be
collected by normal cleaning activities, such as vacuuming or dusting.
If the particle happens to be kicked back up into the air again, it will
be ionized, and quickly settled out of the air once again. In
nature, negative
ions are generated by processes such as sunlight, lightening,
waves from the ocean, and from waterfalls. "Concrete Jungles"
minimize the natural production of negative ions by disrupting the
delicate electrical balance between the atmosphere and the earth.
Ionizer/ionic air purifiers recreate them with
electrode pins ("needlepoints") to
electrically produce negative ions. This method produces a density that is
many times higher than the
negative ion level found at Niagara Falls, the highest natural producer
of negative ions and one of the healthiest
environments in the world.
Surround Air Purifier Products |
