As Delhi Records Spike In Pollution Levels, Should You Consider Getting An Air Purifier? Know All About It

As winter approaches Delhi usually suffers increased pollution levels. On Thursday, Delhi AQI reached the severe category. Does air purifiers help to tackle indoor pollution?

(Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)

New Delhi: Delhi and some other states see an increase in pollution as it begins to get colder, aside from the pollution from transportation and industries, firecrackers and stubble burning push the pollution to dangerous levels. On Thursday Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 461 reaching the 'severe' category. This year, people who suffer from respiratory disorders or are at risk of it have increased due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Covid-19 attacks the lungs which are why many patients suffer from breathlessness as a symptom. Due to the current pandemic, many people find themselves to be working at home and staying indoors, regular circulation of air is important as stale air itself can be six times as polluted as outdoor air. A study by WHO, Indoor air pollution caused 66,800 deaths of under-five children in India in 2016, 10% more than 60,900 deaths of under-five children caused by outdoor air pollution in the same year. Most people considered getting an air purifier to tackle the season of smog. Benefits of air purifiers are • They refresh indoor stale air, thus reducing the chance of airborne diseases. • It neutralizes any unpleasant odor. • It may eliminate any harmful chemicals in the indoor air, like carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide which can increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. • Pollens, dust mites, and pet dander floating in the home environment get trapped in the mesh of the air purifier. • It can improve your sleep as it will reduce indoor allergens such as bacteria, fungi, and dust mites that can trigger allergies. But there are several disadvantages of air purifiers and the most important being that they are expensive and the mesh needs to be cleaned or changed after a specific amount of time. Types of Air Purifiers • HEPA: High-efficiency particulate arrestance very effective against particle pollution without any harmful byproducts, and many filters become more effective as they trap more and more airborne particles. They are common in households and come equipped with a UV prefilter, which kills microbes that are removed by the HEPA filter. • Absorbent Purifiers: A little less common one is the Absorbent Purifiers, often made of activated charcoal, adsorbent purifiers trap chemicals and odors that may be floating around your home. Air passes through the purifier, unwanted gases are adsorbed into the porous bed of adsorbent material, releasing clean air free of these gaseous pollutants. • UV Purifiers: UV purifiers begin by sucking air into the device. UV purifiers then expose the air to a UV lamp, which generally produces UV-C light. Through a process of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI), the UV light breaks down the chemical bonds formed between DNA molecules, which renders viruses inactive and can kill bacteria and fungi. UV purifiers are also available as an addition to HEPA purifiers. Usually, the HEPA purifier with UV prefilter is recommended as a good household purifier.