When the topic of electronic air cleaners comes up it usually doesn’t take long for questions to arise about ozone and whether it is safe or not. So due to several comments on this blog and questions I have received by email I thought I would share a link to a report I found, published by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The report should provide answers to most questions concerning ozone and any health risks associated with it.
The title of the document is "Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners: An Assessment of Effectiveness and Health Consequences"
The topics covered are:
- What is ozone?
- How is ozone harmful?
- Is there such a thing as good ozone and bad ozone?
- Are ozone generators effective in controlling indoor air pollution?
- If I follow manufacturers directions can I be harmed?
- Why is it difficult to control ozone exposure with an ozone generator?
- Can ozone be used in unoccupied spaces?
- What other methods can be used to control indoor air pollution?
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pdfs/ozone_generator.pdf
The table below is copied from the report for those who do not want to read the document.
Ozone Health Effects and Standards
| Health Effects | Risk Factors | Health Standards |
| Potential risk of experiencing: |
Factors expected to increase risk and severity of health effects are: |
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires ozone output of indoor medical devices to be no more than 0.05 ppm. |
| Decreases in lung function |
Increase in ozone air concentration |
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that workers not be exposed to an average concentration of more than 0.10 ppm for 8 hours. |
| Aggravation of asthma | Greater duration of exposure for some health effects |
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends an upper limit of 0.10 ppm, not to be exceeded at any time. |
| Throat irritation and cough |
Activities that raise the breathing rate (e.g.,exercise) |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone is a maximum 8 hour average outdoor concentration of 0.08 ppm. |
| Chest pain and shortness of breath |
Certain pre-existing lung diseases (e.g., asthma) |
|
| Inflammation of lung tissue |
||
| Higher susceptibility to respiratory infection |
ppm = parts per million |
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