Ion Air Purifier

What Are Ions?

Ions are natural particles in the air that have either a positive or negative charge. They get this charge by either losing or gaining an electron. Negative ions are the good guys -- they are simply oxygen atoms that have gained an electron. They attach themselves to airborne particles such as dust, pollen, smoke and dander, causing them to drop from the air.

Nature provides both positive and negative ions in abundance, but when it comes to feeling good, it's the negative ions that are important. See Penn State study

The best natural generator for negative ions is lightning, followed by ocean surf and waterfalls. Negative ions are also abundant in mountains and forests, since all plants give off some ions. In clean, natural air, you'll find very high concentrations of negative ions.

Negative Ions can be actively produced by high voltage electricity run through metal needles, or passively, as a byproduct of when ozone is created by corona discharge or UV light. Needlepoint ionization is by far the most effective way to produce high volume negative ions. However, negative ions have a very short life (2 - 6 minutes) and die before they can circulate completely throughout a dwelling, which is why a negative ionizer will only treat a single room. Also, a high-powered ion generator will produce what has been termed "black wall", a black dust that settles on surfaces, in particular around the ion generator.