Por qué hay polución en la mayoría de los espacios interiores

Why there is pollution in most indoor spaces

What causes indoor pollution?

Indoor pollution is caused by a combination of dust particles, pollen, bacteria, pet hair and skin, mites, mold spores and smoke combined with ozone, invisible gases and volatile organic compounds that are emitted by building materials, furniture, carpets, paints, cleaning products and personal hygiene products.

 

Indoor pollution causes short- and long-term symptoms

Short-term symptoms

  • Sneezing
  • Wheezing
  • Irritation of throat or nose
  • Teary eyes
  • Itchy skin
  • Urticaria
  • Nasal congestion
  • Cough
  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Runny nose
  • Stomachache

Long-term damage from constant exposure to indoor pollution

Physical conditions are expected to manifest themselves after years of constant and repetitive exposure. Long-term damage manifests itself in respiratory diseases, heart damage and cancer that can be severely debilitating and have a profound negative impact on quality of life.

Every day we breathe about 15,000 liters of air and the toxins pass through our lungs and are transported to the heart, liver and other organs. According to the WHO (World Health Organization) exposure to environments with high concentrations of particulate matter leads to a marked reduction in life expectancy. The reduction in life expectancy is particularly due to the increase in mortality from lung disease and cancer. This is characterized by decreased respiratory capacity and reduced lung function in children and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and reduced lung function in adults.

Features that a quality air purifier should have

  1. There is increasing awareness about the health risks associated with ultra-fine particles, also known as 2.5 PM. These particles are smaller than 2.5 microns in size, but 90% of these particles are smaller than 0.1 microns. These particles are produced by cars, trucks, refineries, manufacturing and cooking in closed spaces; and they can be worrying because when inhaled they settle deep in the lungs and enter the bloodstream. These particles have been linked to serious conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, asthma and cancer.
Considering that we spend 90% of our time indoors and 65% of that time at home, it is very possible that we are exposed to high levels of pollution.
Daily exposure to indoor air pollution can be two to five times greater than that generated outdoors due to permanent contact with materials used to manufacture furniture, carpets, paint, as well as cleaning products.
Conventional air purifiers with HEPA filtration systems claim to remove 99% of particles down to 0.3 microns.
For your information, a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter is a filter built, tested and certified by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (IEST) that has met the construction, performance and certification standards required by said institution.

What makes a HEPA filter so efficient?

The ultra-fine fiberglass material captures microscopic particles that can easily pass through other filters by a combination of diffusion, interception, and inertial impaction. To be considered a Type A HEPA filter, the filter must capture at least 99.97% (9,997 out of 10,000) of the 0.3 micron particles (about 300 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair and 25-50 times smaller than what is visible to the human eye. For a HEPA filter, trapping a one micron particle (1/1,000,000 of a meter) is like stopping a cotton ball in a door jamb. [1]

Of the purifiers I have taken the time to evaluate, without a doubt, the Nikken air purifier is the one that filters the most small particles with 99.9% effectiveness.

  1. The Nikken KenkoAir Purifier does not produce ozone. Ozone is classified as a toxic gas due to clinical studies demonstrating its harmful effect when inhaled. However, many filtration systems generate ozone as a byproduct of purification.
  1. Hermetic structure. The way the Nikken purifier achieves real air filtration in an enclosed space is through,
  • A filter that removes large particles (reusable)
  • Followed by a deodorant filter (replaceable)
  • Then an H:13 filter with 99.9% filtration efficiency where ultra-fine particles are retained, ensuring that the air you breathe is pure and filtered.
  • Particle sensor that detects the level of contamination in the environment and activates the filtration process automatically.
  1. The KenkoAir Purifier from Nikken, thanks to its particle sensor, tells you at all times what the air quality is in the room where it is located and immediately corrects the level of filtration needed so that you can breathe pure air.
  1. Negative Ion Technology. Ions are charged particles, either positive or negative, that gain a charge by gaining or losing electrons. A positive ion has fewer electrons than protons, resulting in a net positive electrical charge. Negative ions contain more electrons and thus their charge.
Negative ions have been called the vitamin of air and an environment loaded with negative ions provides balance to the human body in terms of health, relaxation and a feeling of comfort.
If the air we breathe is charged with negative ions, it helps our respiratory system function better and our immune system to be strengthened.  An environment loaded with positive ions makes us vulnerable to conditions such as allergies, asthma, bronchitis and more.
Negative ions naturally spread in forests, beaches and waterfall areas, while positive ions are produced near electric currents, so imagine living near a power transformer, which can affect your body's balance.

  1. Low noise level. In this regard the Kenkoair Purifier is stellar because even when operating at the highest speed it does not change the sound.
  1. Environmentally friendly air filtration system. This feature is due to its low electrical energy consumption, which earned it the Energy Star rating, awarded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This rating is only awarded to indoor air filters that allow an annual saving of 215 kilowatts/hour.

As we overcome the pandemic, we are becoming more aware that the quality of the air we breathe is directly connected to our health.  From viruses to indoor pollution, I hope Nikken Kenkoair can provide you with the peace of mind of breathing clean air as you face these invisible threats to our health.

If you are interested in obtaining this air system, visit my page to learn about all its benefits and place your order.

https://johannakoelle.mitiendanikken.com/productos/kenko-air/kenkoair-purifier-1441

References

[1] https://www.pharmaguideline.com/2011/02/what-is-hepa-filter.html#:~:text=Where%20are%20HEPA%20filters%20used,electronics%2C%20biological%20and% 20medical%20facilities .

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