Technologies for improving indoor air purification have been around for a very long time. The past 20 years, however, have seen many more advances. In 1985, we saw the introduction of RGF Environment Group, with its mission "to provide the world with the safest water, food and air, without the use of chemicals". RGF quickly became the pioneers of the new advanced oxidation technologies that have become the space-age leaders in the air purification industry and more.
Ozone had been used extensively in the commercial restoration business for fire and flood damage. High levels of ozone were very effective against odors and mold. At that time the equipment of choice was the corona discharge or CD system.
Corona Discharge Simulates Lightning
The CD system used a spark between electrically charged plates to simulate lightning, which converts oxygen into ozone. The downfall of this process is you also get nitrogen conversion to nitric acid and nitric oxide. The other concern, from an indoor purification perspective, was that the resulting high concentration levels of ozone posed a hazardous threat. This was the very thing that started all the bad publicity for ozone in the first place.
RGF’s Challenge is Accomplished
The challenge was to build a residential unit, which would produce ozone levels that did not exceed federal limits of 0.4 parts per million (ppm). This was accomplished in the early 1990’s. This was about the same time that the U.S. Federal Government was going after companies marketing CD ozone units to consumers for use in occupied spaces. The resulting court battles gave ozone it’s bad name, which the industry is still struggling to overcome.
Now a Scientific Proven Fact:
Using Good Science & Technology, RGF began building and testing a device, which could produce safe, low levels of ozone. They proved that such a device, even though the ozone levels were low, would still be effective for mold, odors and bacteria. Fox TV ran the story and it was subsequently picked up by Popular Science and included in their magazine.
Even though we now have scientific proof to the contrary, you will still find many Internet sites (including Government sites) that still quote old science journals that claimed low levels of ozone was not effective against mold and bacteria. These pages were never removed and only serve to further confuse the issue. This is an example of what I call "Bad Science".
We are now on the right track. We have solved the safety issue with ozone in occupied spaces. Even using a low level of ozone, we are able to obtain air purification under the right conditions. The ozone follows air currents in the room and throughout the house providing indoor air purification wherever needed.
An Active Technology
Think about this for a moment. Have you ever made popcorn at home? Do you remember how the smell of popcorn would travel through the entire house? This is the same process that allows ozone to treat an entire house from one location. For this reason, ozone is considered to be an “active technology”.
Ozone is very good at what it does, but it is not the final solution. It’s time to take the next step in our fight against indoor air pollution. It’s time to look at
air purification using Photohydroionization.
