It is a very difficult time across the world. Coronavirus or COVID-19 has ravaged the planet, causing millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths.
The fact of the matter is that this virus is dangerous, and it spreads easily from one person to another.
Whether due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the yearly seasonal flu, or just because you don’t like viruses, bacteria, and germs in general, you may have thought about getting an air purifier.
Because air purifiers are designed to remove contaminants from the air, it is safe to assume that they also help to remove viruses and bacteria from the air.
However, exactly how effective air purifiers are for this purpose is questionable. So, do air purifiers help with viruses, and if so, to what extent?
Air Purifiers, HEPA Filters, and Micron Size
One of the most important things to talk about is micron size, which is the size of any particle. You may know that one of the best types of air filters out there is the HEPA filter (high-efficiency particulate air).
HEPA filters are very often used in home and industrial air purifiers, as they are capable of removing around 99.97% of particles from the air that are 0.3 microns in size or larger.
Generally speaking, air purifiers with HEPA filters can remove many things from the air, like pollen, dust, mites, dander, mildew, mold, smoke, other odors, VOCs, bacteria, and more.
However, what is also crucial to know, particularly in terms of viruses such as coronavirus, is how large those virus particles are.
A single COVID 19 particle can be as small as 0.125 microns. As you might realize, this is less than half the micron size that HEPA filters are capable of catching.
Therefore, technically speaking, a generic air purifier with a HEPA filter will not be able to capture the majority of virus particulates; viruses, for the most part, are too small for an air purifier to capture.
With that being said, studies show that viruses such as the coronavirus often have much larger particulate sizes, up to 1 micron when they are first expelled from the human body.
In other words, if you sneeze out some COVID 19, at first, those particles may be large enough to be trapped by an air purifier with a HEPA filter, particularly when they are attached to larger particles, such as hair, dust, or saliva.
Therefore, a HEPA filter may be able to capture some virus particles, particularly when they are first sneezed or coughed out, and especially if they are attached to larger particles.
However, a regular HEPA filter will not be able to catch most viruses. That said, it’s probably better than nothing at all.
Viruses and Ionizing Air Purifiers
A specific type of air purifier that may be able to remove viruses from the air is the ionic air purifier. This type of air purifier works by releasing negative ions into the air which can then bond with particulates such as fungi, viruses, and bacteria.
Negative ions bind with the positive ions in these airborne particulates causing them to fall to the ground.
However, surfaces will still need to be cleaned. This is particularly effective for removing airborne viruses from the air, although the viruses will still be present on the surfaces on which they fall.
Viruses and Ultraviolet Air Purifiers
Another way that air purifiers can kill viruses is if they are ultraviolet. This type of purifier uses UV or ultraviolet rays, such as those that come from the sun, to kill anything they come into contact with, and yes, this includes viruses.
Some ultraviolet air purifiers are rated to kill up to 80% of airborne pathogens or more. However, you need to be wary here, because most UV air purifiers are not nearly powerful enough to kill many viruses and bacteria.
If you expect this type of air purifier to work on viruses, it needs to be a very powerful one.
Conclusion
While certain types of air purifiers can kill some viruses, they are not 100% effective, not even close.
However, something is better than nothing, and killing even a small portion of a virus such as COVID 19 is better than not killing any of it.