Studies Proving the Effectiveness of Negative Ions
How do they Purify the Air?
Virtually all particles in the air have a positive charge, while negative ions have a negative charge. In which case, these ions and particles magnetically attract to one another. When there is a high enough concentration of them in the air, they will attract to floating particles in large numbers. This causes the particle to become too heavy to remain airborne. As a result, the particle will fall out of the air, preventing it from being inhaled into the respiratory tract where it can trigger breathing and health problems.
The ionized particle will then be collected by normal cleaning activities, such as vacuuming or dusting. If the particle happens to be kicked back up into the air again, it will be ionized, and quickly settled out of the air once again.
In nature, negatively charged ions are generated by processes such as sunlight, lightening, waves from the ocean, and from waterfalls. "Concrete Jungles" minimize the natural production of negative ions by disrupting the delicate electrical balance between the atmosphere and the earth.
Negatively charged ions are so effective at removing particulate from your breathing space that you should be sure to include ionization technology in what ever system you buy. If you are still are not convinced, check out the following facts.
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
The U.S.D.A. discovered the following in recent studies conducted in a poultry house, which are notoriously polluted:
Reduced Salmonella (Bacteria) Transmission Between Chicks by 98%.
Reduced Airborne Salmonella (Bacteria) by 95%.
Reduced Airborne Dust & Particles by 99% in 60 Seconds.
St. James University Hospital
Researchers have found that hospital-acquired infections among patients in the Intensive Care Unit were dramatically reduced when ionizers were introduced - and have remained so since. The ionizers were found to successfully remove bacteria from air, reducing the transmission of infection.
Columbia University
Researchers found people with winter and chronic depression show that negative ion generators relieve depression as much as antidepressants. It was also determined that there are relatively no side effects.
Journal of Hygiene
This scientific publication reports that negatively charged ions cause dust particles to agglomerate and settle out of air. For this same reason, ionization can improve the efficiency of filters.
Good Housekeeping Magazine
In March of 1999, Good Housekeeping Magazine had its engineers test an ionizer by using a smoke test, and found that it cleared out the smoke in a tank.
Journal of Hygiene
Scientists showed that ionization reduced bacterial levels in burns and plastic surgery units by over 96% after a two week period, which results in much better and more rapid healing of patients.
European Respiratory Journal
A statistically significant decrease of carbon monoxide values was found with an ionizer activated. This was discovered by researchers at Brompton Hospital in London, and published in European Respiratory Journal.
Journal of Applied Microbiology
The use of negative ions was even found by scientists to reduce the presence of airborne viruses by about 40%. A study featured in the 1987 issue also showed the negative ions are free from any adverse side effects.
Science
A 1976 study featured in this publication provided evidence that negatively charged ions can have a biologically lethal effect on airborne microorganisms.
Journal of Hygiene
A 1979 study found that using negative ionization in the air protected chickens from airborne infection of the deadly Newcastle Disease Virus.
Journal of Food Protection
A 2001 study found that airborne negative ionization was highly effective at destroying airborne and surface salmonella.
University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Romania)
A test on male rats showed that just moderate levels of negatively charged ions increased the resistance of the rats, reducing or eliminating the effect of some chemicals.
(Summary of Study)
Effect of Negative Ions on Drivers
A study by Toyota Central R & D Labs, Inc. found that negatively charged ions can improve fatigue and cognition of drivers.
In nature, negatively charged ions are generated by processes such as sunlight, lightening, waves from the ocean, and from waterfalls. "Concrete Jungles" minimize the natural production of negative ions by disrupting the delicate electrical balance between the atmosphere and the earth.
