 |
OVERVIEW
OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY ISSUES
–
What We Don’t Know but Should Know
about the Air
We Breathe –
Table of
Contents
|
 From
our first breath until our last – and all those wonderful
breaths in between, we
probably take the air we breathe more for granted than any other
physical aspect of our existences. But should we? Are
there things in the air we breathe that could actually make us sick or
harm us? If so, how much is safe, and how much is too much? Are we
doomed to have to live (or die) with it? Or is there actually something
we can do about it – hopefully before it is too late? |
Table
of Contents
On the next few pages, you will
discover . . .
Every time we take a breath, the
supposition is that what we are breathing is pure, clean air in the
exact balanced formulation we were created to use. But the
only time most of us bother to question that assumption is when we see
large amounts of pollution pouring into the air. Or it may be when
something we smell is particularly unpleasant (soiled diapers, a dead
animal, etc.,)
or so badly fouled that it irritates the breathing apparatus in some
way or causes us to choke . . . . more
The problem is worse than we realize.
1. In 1930, 80% of Americans lived on
farms and spent the majority of their time outdoors. Asthma, and a host of other respiratory ailments, were
relatively uncommon.
2. 50 years ago, the primary cause
for health issues from air pollution was polluted OUTDOOR air.
C.
What Do We Need to Know?
Sorting out the info and charting
a course to follow.
 With
hundreds of products on the market and with all sorts of acronyms,
initials, trade specific terms, and trade names with which to become
familiar, how does one know which equipment to acquire or whose
services to engage?
Do
we know for certain what issues need addressing? Do we have to do anything?
If we do something, are we sure that what we are doing will work with
the problems we have?
.
. . more
D.
What are We Breathing?
Unwelcome
guests we receive every time we breathe.
Here
is a quick look at what it is that we are breathing and the areas for
consideration when contemplating any type of air purification service
or equipment.
.
. . more
Airborne
pieces of a lot of stuff we should not be breathing.
Anything
floating in or wafted about in the air small enough to enter our
breathing apparatus comes under this broad category. Generally
speaking, most of the particles are too small to be seen by the unaided
eye. Some, however, can be detected if they are in sufficient quantity
and/or under direct illumination to make them visible.
Particulates
include, but are not necessarily limited to . . . more
The
body’s “hit list” of alien invaders.
 .
. . If our immune systems identify certain particulates as health
threats, those particles are moved from a "list" the body keeps of irritants
to a "list" of allergens
-
things which trigger an allergic response whether mild or severe. With
an allergic response, the body goes on a kind of "red alert", causing
things to happen in order to raise a defense against the intruders.
. . . more
The
bacteria, viruses, and germs which reproduce in the human body
and
try to
stage
a
takeover.
.
. . One of the greatest potential risks posed by particulates goes
beyond the offensive
materials themselves. It has to do with the company they keep, or,
literally, the microscopic “guests” they bring with
them whenever they are inhaled — the pathogens.
Pathogens,
as a class, are the bacteria, viruses, and germs which reproduce in the
human body and try to stage a takeover. . . . more
Things
have odors for a reason, but why?
Can
the problem be corrected
rather than merely masked or covered up?
 Things
stink/smell/have an aroma for a reason. Whether it is pleasant, like
the fragrance of a rose, or unpleasant, like vomit or fecal material,
everything which gives off an odor is emitting tiny microscopic pieces
of itself into the air. Those tiny pieces - in incredibly small amounts
- are caught in the nasal passages where their DNA is read by the
olfactory nerves and checked in the brain against a memory bank of some
10,000 substances to determine what the appropriate response should be.
. . . more
Are we possibly
drowning in a toxic soup?
 If
we can understand something of the mechanics of how odors originate and
spread through
air, we can begin to make sense of the concerns regarding "Volatile
Organic Compounds"
or "VOC's" for short.
VOC's
can originate from natural sources such
as rotting vegetation or animal matter. They may also come from man
made sources. Of special concern are those derived from
some form of petroleum or petroleum derivative, known in the industry
as "petroleum distillates" or "petrochemicals".
. . . more
Is
what we see dangerous?
And
is what we don’t see more dangerous than
what we do see?
 Mold
plays a major role in the Divine design to keep all of the ecosystems
in balance, being the primary means by which organic material is
recycled. Because death can occur to any organism at anytime or any
place, mold must be everywhere present and ready to do
its intended job of "digesting" dead material (mostly
cellulose, once the moisture is extracted). Consequently, mold spores -
mold's versions of seeds that are so tiny (less than 4 microns) that as
many as 200,000 or so can fit on the head of a pin - are designed to
circulate in some quantity anywhere the wind blows, including our homes
and businesses. . . . more
Are the technologies pretty
much equal, or is their a large disparity among them?
Regardless of the hundreds of brands and models, there are really only
two types
of technologies. What are they and how well does each work? .
. . more
The pollution finds the solution
(or so we hope!)
 Passive
technology always employs some
form of filtration and
always requires that contaminates
find their way to the filtering device. A
filter is to the airborne contaminate what the spider's web is to the
insect. No matter how big or how little, regardless of
the size or design, a germ or bug may fly freely about the air space
unless or until it is caught in the trap of the filter fibers or the
web. If it is small enough to slip through the fibers or strong enough
to wriggle loose, it is free to fly about again. . . . more
The solution finds the pollution
– even where it is hiding!
 As
designed for nature, there is virtually no such thing as "passive" air
purification.
While the natural processes for
purifying water are primarily passive, outdoor air is
purified by processes which are expressly active. Sunlight
and lightning and the effects of the wind
rushing through the trees (among others) give us our purified
breathable air. The ability to do indoors what was
designed for the outdoors lies at the heart of active
(or pro-active) technology which does not wait
for contaminates to find a filter. . . . more
 Stage
one is actually a combination of two steps. Two separate ion generators
put out large volumes of both positive and negative ions and introduce
them into the entire environmental space with very little noise. These opposingly
charged ions penetrate through walls, attic spaces, and rooms
throughout the building, causing air-borne particulates to flocculate
or clump together, rendering them too heavy to remain air-borne.
. . . more
Combining
high intensity UVX light with a specially developed rare
metal hydrophilic
coating on an engineered matrix, Radiant Catalytic
Ionization™
(RCI™) reduces airborne contaminants, and
odors while creating super oxide ions and hydro-peroxides. While
active, these oxidizers also have the
potential of infiltrating behind wall cavities, and wherever they go
they strip the very hardy shells off of mold spores,
fungi, and numerous other pathogens and contaminants, killing them
outright or rendering them very susceptible to destruction.
. . . more
 In
stage three, additional technology generates a tunable
level of naturally occurring penetrating oxidation gases which attack
the nuclei of the now exposed cells, either fully killing the
pathogenic cell, or, as in the case of mold spores, affecting the RNA
and the DNA of the spores so that they cannot reproduce.
. . . more
As
with the ions, the generated oxidizing plasmas are so efficient that
they penetrate to
wherever the germs are hiding
and render them harmless. This patented triple
combination of pro-active technologies is available exclusively under
the trade name of "RCI"TM,
so named for "Radiant
Catalytic
Ionization",
also trademarked. RCITM has been
shown in university studies to have a kill rate as high as
six log (99.9999%) of surface laden pathogens anywhere in the air space.
. . . more
 Where
is Clara Peller when you need her?
But
it gets even funnier. We have the Best
Available Today's Technology
(“BATT”) which
efficiently removes the dirt (particulates) from the air so that there
is nothing in the air to capture on which to measure the health and
vitality of germs. Yesterday's science says, “Since we can't
find any dirt to check for germs (it’s too CLEAN), we cannot
certify how pure (germ free) your air is.” . . . more
Anybody
can see that it’s clean except the career bureaucrats.
Reason
would dictate that in the absence of particulates, any
viable pathogens are left without a transport mechanism by which to
enter our private air spaces. That has to be a positive
factor in the overall indoor air quality.
But
is it enough? Knowing that we can't test the
“purity” of the air by means of the old methods and
definitions, we set out to test the effectiveness of the technology
itself. .
. . more
Hint:
One place they are not is “Blowin’ in the
Wind”.
.
. . We went after some pretty infamous bacteria -- fellas like
Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA (the antibiotic resistant strain of
Staphylococcus aureus that is wreaking havoc in our hospitals), E.
coli, Bacillus spp., streptococcus spp., Listeria monocytogenes,
Stachybotrys chartarum (black mold), etc., mean guys with ugly names
and bad reputations. Within surprisingly short periods of time, kill
rates on the pathogen samples were averaging well above 99% . . . more
. . . .
In the war against
pathogens, would you like your germs captured and contained or killed "graveyard dead"?
In
laboratory as well as practical terms, there is a HUGE difference
between a kill rate
of 99 to 100% with RCITM
and the maximum HEPA figures — as respectable as they seem to
be — of 99.97% of filtration of
particles larger than a certain size which
happen to pass through the filtering device. . . . more
The same thing that RCITM
does to
particulates and germs it does also to smoke, dust, and sources of
odors.
Once oxidized by RCITM,
an odor source is no longer in decay and is therefore rendered neutral,
harmless, and odor free – without toxic sprays and
ineffective (and possibly hazardous) deodorant cover ups. Likewise, RCITM
goes to work on the chemical off gassings of VOC's, which are also
neutralized and rendered far more harmless. . . . more
F.
What IAQ issues must be considered and addressed?
Head
to head comparison of the technologies – very revealing.
Before
acquiring any type of air purifier or installing any kind of whole
house or whole building system, it might be best to consider what the
expected outcome should be and compare it with the capacities of the
device or system to achieve those goals. . . . more
G.
Are there medical considerations?
 Obligatory
disclaimers and the practical realities of what happens when a sick
body can actually catch its breath.
None
of the items breathe-easier.com recommends are
currently rated as or to be considered as medical devices
in the legal understanding and use of the term.
Therefore, no medical claims are made for the use or the failure to use
any of the offered equipment. . . . more
H.
Are there legal and other considerations?
What happens if we just
ignore the problem or fail to investigate it fully?
Applications of these technologies have practical, economical, and
legal implications. Having these systems in place will help insure
against mold infestations so prevalent in the Gulf Coast climate and
elsewhere. By all but eliminating any particulates, the indoor
breathing space will not create a burden on the environs, and
housekeeping will be much more easily accomplished and maintained.
. . . more
I.
When is Timing an Issue?
If
the mold or other air quality problem doesn't seem to be spreading or
getting any worse, do we really have to pay it any attention?
 As
an environmental consideration, the sooner proper air purification
equipment is installed, the less of a build-up of indoor air
contaminates will contribute to the overall health hazards of the
occupants. If construction is old, mold colonies could already be
forming in out of sight places while contributing to the declining air
quality. Levels of dangerous toxic substances could already be reaching
critical levels, and the sooner all negative contributors are
neutralized, the better for all (except, perhaps, the lawyers).
. . . more
Top
of Table of Contents --^
Next
page this Section: IAQ
Overview - Part 1 - Is There a Problem? -->
|
All
materials not supplied by manufacturers or others are
Copyright 2005 - 2008 -- Pro-active
Environmental Technologies -- All Rights
Reserved
|
 |
NEW!
Check
out the videos
An introduction to indoor air
quality issues.
B.
What Don't We Know?
--
KWIK FACTS.
The problem is worse than we realize.
C.
What Do We Need to Know?
Sorting out the info and charting
a course to follow.
D.
What are We Breathing?
Unwelcome
guests we receive every time we breathe.
2. Allergens.
The
body’s “hit list” of alien invaders.
3. Pathogens.
The
bacteria, viruses, and germs which reproduce in the human body
and
try to
stage
a
takeover.
4. Odors.
Things
have odors for a reason,
but why?
Can the problem be corrected rather than merely masked or covered up?
5. Chemicals/Smoke/VOC's.
Are we
possibly drowning in a toxic soup?
6. Mold.
Is what we see dangerous?
And is what we don't see
perhaps more dangerous than what we do see?
E.
Which Technology Works the Best?
Are the technologies pretty
much equal, or is their a large disparity among them?
1. Passive Technology.
The pollution finds the solution.
(Or so we hope!)
2.
Active Technology.
The solution finds the pollution -
even where it is hiding!
a. Stage One -- Dual
Ionization (Particulate Removal)
b.
Stage Two -- Quad
Oxidizing Plasmas
c.
Stage Three -- Advanced
Oxidation
d.
Combo Effect -- The
Whole is Greater Than the Sum of its Parts.
3. Major Differences.
Things that are not the same
are not equal.
a. Literally out of this
world.
The technology which produces
"the purest air on the planet"
actually comes from
out of this world.
b. Overall Air Purity.
By what standard do
you certify the actual purity of air?
c. Too Clean to Test for Purity?
"Without dirt in the air,
we cannot tell you
how pure the air is."
Does that strike anybody as odd?
d.
Where's the Dirt?
(Where is Clara Peller
when you need her?)
e. What to do?
Anybody
can see that it’s clean except the career bureaucrats.
f. Where are the Germs?
Hint: One place they are not
is
"Blowin' in the Wind".
g. Filtration rates vs. Kill
rates.
In the war against pathogens,
would you like your germs
captured and contained
or killed "graveyard dead"?
h.
Odor Abatement/Removal.
The
same thing that RCITM
does to
particulates and germs it does also to smoke, dust, and sources of
odors.
F. What IAQ
issues must be considered and addressed?
Head to head comparison of the technologies - very revealing.
G.
Are there medical considerations?
Obligatory disclaimers and the practical realities of what happens when
a sick body can actually catch its breath.
H.
Are there legal and other considerations?
What happens if we just
ignore the problem or fail to investigate it fully?
I.
When is Timing an Issue?
If
the mold or other air quality problem doesn't seem to be spreading or
getting any worse, so we really have to pay it any attention?
|
