indoor air quality specialists
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
Humans can
|
| All about odors.
In order to eliminate the bad ones, it's important to know what they are and how we sense them. What is an odor?Smell is a very direct sense. In order for you to smell something, molecules from that thing have to make it to your nose. Everything you smell, therefore, is giving off molecules -- whether it is bread in the bakery, onions, perfume, a piece of fruit or whatever. Those molecules are generally light, volatile (easy to evaporate) chemicals that float through the air into your nose. A piece of steel has no smell because nothing evaporates from it -- steel is a non-volatile solid. At the top of your nasal passages behind your nose, there is a patch of special neurons about the size of a postage stamp. These neurons are unique in that they are out in the open where they can come into contact with the air. They have hair-like projections called cilia that increase their surface area. An odor molecule binds to these cilia to trigger the neuron and cause you to perceive a smell. According to the book Molecular Biology of the Cell:
Each of the hundreds of receptors are encoded by a specific gene. If your DNA is missing a gene or if the gene is damaged, it can cause you to be unable to detect a certain smell. For example, some people have no sense for the smell of camphor. What are the sources of odors?Odors can be caused by many different sources. Since they must be detected by the receptors in our nasal passages, they usually fall into one of the following categories:
GasesGases have the smallest molecules, and are therefore usually able to pass right through most physical filter material. Ozone treatment and UV light are most effective at eliminating odors caused by gases.
BACK TO TOPMicrobesMicrobes are a wide range of living microscopic organisms that while larger than gas molecules, are still extremely tiny. Some very fine (HEPA) filters can trap these airborne irritants, but ozone treatment is still effective at neutralizing the vast majority of them.
BACK TO TOPParticulatesParticulates are non-living, very small airborne objects that can irritate lungs and mucous membranes. Very fine (HEPA) filters are good at removing these from the air, as are negative ion generators. Negative ions attach themselves to floating particles, make them heavy so they fall to the floor, where they can be vacuumed up. Ozone has little or no effect on particulates.
How do we get rid of airborne odors?There are many ways to remove odors in the air we breathe, and the appropriate one depends on the source of the offending odor. There is no one, simple, all-purpose technology, so expert knowledge of the source and remedy of each kind of odor is necessary. Once the source of airborne odors, allergens or pollutants has been identified, one or more of the following technologies will be used:
FiltersIn general, filters must permit some pollutants to pass with the airflow. After all, air molecules must be able to pass through, or the filter won't work. The higher the efficiency or density of the filter, the lower the airflow, and the higher the restriction to the blower.
HEPA filters'HEPA' stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air filter. HEPA filters utilize a powerful blower to force the aire through a very tight membrane to achieve high efficiency particulate filtration.
Carbon Media FiltersCarbon filters consist of carbon impregnated filter fabric or granulated carbon. These filters usually have a foam or fabric filter to hold the media. Carbon has the unique ability of acting as a physical filter trapping particulates, and on a chemical basis by reacting with some of the odors and some of the heavy gases.
Fiber / Foam FiltersFiber or open-cell foam filters rely on the air passing through a matrix of foam cells or fibers of fiberglass, wire, plastic or cloth. Typically, these filters only stop medium to large particles.
Electrostatic PrecipitatorsElectrostatic precipitators have been used by industry for many years to clean up ("scrub") smokestack emission of particles. They operate by electrically charging a field between two metal plates. The air -- and suspended particles -- is filled with an electrical charge similar to similar to static electricity. The charged particulates collect and coagulate on a second set of charged plates where they fall into a collection tray.
Negative Ion GeneratorsNegative ion generators have been used by industry for years to remove particulates from the air and to neutralize the effects of excess positive ions. Negative ions are produced electrically and travel through the air until they attract positively-charged airborne particulates, and coagulate the particulates until they are too heavy to drift, and they settle to the floor.
OzoneOzone is a gas composed entirely of oxygen -- an oxygen molecule containing three atoms instead of two, which is the oxygen we breathe. The extra atom in ozone is known as a loose radical that looks for organics to attach to and thereby oxidize. Ozone is known as a 'friendly oxidizer' due to the fact that it reverts back to breathable oxygen after oxidation occurs.
Ultraviolet LightUltraviolet (UV) light rays have been used as a sanitizer by the medical profession for years. UV light can also sanitize air that is passed directly in its path.
PhotoIonizationAn advanced oxidation technology utilizing UV light targeted at a tri-metallic target that creates a passive ozone level, super-oxide ions, and hydro-peroxides.
Radiant Catalytic IonizationAn advanced oxidation technology utilizing broad spectrum UV-X light targeted on a hydrated quad metallic target that created very low ozone levels (.01 - .02 ppm), super-oxide ions, hydro-peroxides, and hydrocide ions.
Toll Free: 1 888 ODORONIX (1-888-636-7664) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
© 2007 Odoronix, LLC -- All Rights Reserved -- Terms
& Conditions |