When folks think of air purifiers, their first thought generally has to do with allergies, and many of those are tough to manage. But for someone with multiple chemical sensitivities, the job of cleaning the air they breathe is a great deal more complex even than that.
Multiple chemical sensitivity, or MCS, arises when a person has had either a severe and fairly unexpected contact with toxic chemicals, or else extended contact with something less extreme. So a big chemical spill from a nearby train derailment might be an initial cause, while the condition could also stem from something like long-term work with powerful cleaning supplies.
Once this sensitivity has been activated, it spreads to include other irritants also. So the individual could then become sensitive to things like vehicle exhaust, the toner from printers, the smell of building materials, second hand smoke, and so on. The sensitivity then starts to manifest itself in such symptoms as loss of memory or concentration, aching limbs, and irritation of the skin, eyes, and respiratory system, among others. For some reason yet unknown, this kind of condition has an effect on more women than men, though it can occur for both.
The thing to remember when hunting for an air purifier to help with MCS is that it primarily has to be able to grab those aggravating chemicals out of the air. So purifiers like those with a HEPA filter, while they tend to be most effective for allergy-based problems, would not be as helpful for chemical sensitivities.
One good system for dealing with chemicals is an activated carbon filter. This works at the molecular level, to change gaseous chemical molecules into a solid form, and then trap them in the carbon. However, as the Allergy Consumer Review website notes, certain types of carbon filters are better than others. The kind that appears to be most effective seems to be the granular type. The Allergy Consumer Review also points out that coconut-based carbon filters might set off other allergies, and should also be avoided when possible.
Even a granular carbon filter cannot deal with every chemical; for example, it does not work with formaldehyde or hydrogen sulfide. So most effectively purifiers combine activated carbon with a chemically active compound of aluminum oxide.
The next problem encountered by MCS sufferers is that the very chemicals they are so sensitive to are frequently what goes into production of the air purifiers themselves. Even the fan motors must be free of varnish. And in the path the air takes as it passes through the purifier, it needs to pass the fan before it goes through the gas filter, instead of the other way around. If the fan is located first, then the filter can still do away with the chemicals that it and the motor produce.
It is extremely difficult for someone with MCS to find an air purifier that doesn't contain or create the very chemicals it's supposed to help with. However the Allergy Consumer Review site does recommend the IQAir GC Series of purifiers as most effectively available alternative.
There are a number of different technologies to be found in air purifiers, from the HEPA filter to the ionic air purifier. Discover how to get the the right technology for your situation at Home Air Purifiers: The Facts.
Posted under Allergies
This post was written by Justin Mann on December 18, 2009
