08742 Living-Volume 5, Issue 62

Just Breathe by Natalie Berko

Atmospheric pollution is a pressing topic in the media right now, but our indoor air quality is often two to five times worse! Chemicals given off by carpets, paint, and cleaning supplies can linger in the air and cause health issues, according to the American Lung Association. The particles of concern are the ones you can’t see. As more information and data emerges, experts predict that the global air purifier market will grow at a rate of 9 to 12 percent annually between now and 2023, having it valued at over $33 billion in only three years.

Air purifiers eliminate health hazards caused by poor air quality by removing contaminants, including tobacco smoke. Further, they are beneficial for people with allergies and asthma. The very first air purifying apparatus was developed by Lewis P Haslett and patented in 1848. In the 1850’s John Stenhouse used charcoal filters to clean the air, which led to the development of the masks used in London factories to protect workers from toxic gases. Almost a century later, the US Atomic Energy Commission invented the HEPA filter to clean air that had been contaminated by radioactive particles. After World War II, it was released to the general public and is now used by air purifier companies as a heavy-duty filtration device. In the 1960s a German engineer developed a simple air purifying system. It compressed a filter pad attached by magnets, which trapped dust in the air. This purifying system was the first that could be used within households.

Today the clean breathing craze proves that you can put a price on fresh air. Tech companies are finding innovative and lucrative ways to clean the air in our homes, while sales of purifying plants are blooming. The race is on to create a product that meets the rising consumer demand. Companies like Molekule

Natalie Berko Certified Crystal Healer and Dyson have recognized that people are willing to pay a premium for large air purification units that remove and destroy pollutants from the air. Two-thirds of the population are expected to live in cities by 2050, in response device manufactures are turning their focus to make these machines smaller. Air-quality sensors that allow users to gauge the level of impurities in their homes are also becoming more accessible to the average consumer. Intellipure is taking sensor tech a step further by developing a program to monitor outdoor and indoor air quality and can help you the difference. It may alert you that your bedroom is high in particulate matter, but the outdoor air quality is better – so you may want to open a window. What we will see is a shift away from portable units to integrated systems that are controlled by your home’s HVAC system or something like Google Nest. Wearable technology could even make it possible to take air-quality measurements on the go with you. For example, when you’re walking to work, your smartphone may guide you to the path with the best air quality. Dyson has already been experimenting on this front. As part of a 2019 study, the company worked with Kings College London to outfit 250 school children with backpacks equipped with air quality monitors. Armed with the knowledge of 490 million measurements, 31 percent of the children changed their daily commute to and from school in order to reduce their exposure to London’s air pollution.

Research like this proves that when we have the tools to understand air quality, we make better choices. Environmental circumstances

have created a need for the air purification market. With these new tools and knowledge we can hope that we will make

better choices and be able to breathe a little easier.