Purest Air Click here to return to breathe-easier.com's Home page.Click here to get an Overview of Indoor Air Quality Issues.Click here to find out the Services Pro-active Environmental Technologies offers.Click here to explore the Best  Available Today's Technologies Solutions from Pro-active Environmental Technologies.About Us Contact us
The Best Botanical Cleaning Solutions


Overview


OVERVIEW OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY ISSUES

– What We Don’t Know but Should Know
about the Air We Breathe –

Table of Contents




And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." -- Gen 2:7

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 . . .

A. Is There a Problem?

An introduction to indoor air quality issues.

 
Is There a Problem?
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.What Don't We Know

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.

3. 50 years ago, SBS (“Sick Building Syndrome”) did not exist.  . . . more




C. What Do We Need to Know?

Sorting out the info and charting a course to follow.

Need to KnowWith 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.

What Are We Breathing?
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.

Particulates
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.

Fields of Potential Allergens . . . 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 defence 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 goesPathogens 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?

Odor SourcesThings 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?

VOC's on DemandIf 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 manmade 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?

MoldMold 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





Which Technology?
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 typ
es of technologies. What are they and how well does each work?  . . . more






The pollution finds the solution (or so we hope!)

Passive TechnologyPassive 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 polution – even where it is hiding!

Active TechnologyAs 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


ionsStage 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, andQuad Oxidizing Plasma Generator 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

Radical HydroxylsIn 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 hidingRCI Technology 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




Things that are not the same are not equal.

Apples and OrangesOn occasion, disparate technologies may approach a problem from different perspectives and in different ways, coming up with similar results. In the contest between passive and active air purification technologies, different they are. Similar or equal results? Nowhere close.  . . . more


Out of this worldThe technology which produces “the purest air on the planet” actually does come from out of this world.

The science behind the RCITM technology was originally developed for the critical needs and challenges found in space exploration. NASA refers to the product of this process as "the purest air on the planet", and it is the only air purification technology in the entire solar system to have won the prestigious Certified Space TechnologyTM designation.  . . . more

Overall air purity
By what standard do you certify the actual purity of air?

For indoor air quality, active air purification is more than just a little unique. It is absolutely off the charts. How much so was begun to be realized with the discovery of an unanticipated phenomenon during laboratory testing.  . . . more





“Without dirt in the air, we cannot tell you how clean the air is.” Does that strike anybody as odd?

Lab techWith air quality, there are at least two major factors —

1. cleanliness, the relative freedom of particulates (dirt) in the air and

2. purity, the relative lack of germs in the air.  . . . more


Where's the dirt?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.What to do?

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”.
Where are the germs?
. . . 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 andWho gets to clean the conventional filter? 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


Odor abatement/removal The same thing that RCITM does to particulates and germs it does also to smoke, dust, and sources of odors.

Once oxidized by RCI
TM, 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 offgassings of VOC's, which are also neutralized and rendered far more harmless.  . . . more




F. What IAQ issues must be considered and addressed? 

What must be considered?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?

Medical considerationsObligatory disclaimers and the practical realities of what happens when a sick body can actually catch its breath.

None of the items Pro-active Environmental Technologies 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?
Legal considerations
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?

When is timing an issue? 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





A. Is there a problem?

Is there a problem?  Let's see . . .   .

Not by bread alone.


Stories are told of people who have gone without a scrap of food to eat for extraordinary periods of time -- often over a month or so.





Cold glass of water
And remarkably, although our bodies are comprised of some 70% of water, some individuals have gone for close to a week or even longer without water and have survived - although by then they were in serious danger.

Last gasp
But almost without exception, one to two minutes is about all we can go without breathing without experiencing extreme discomfort. And usually, without air for four to six minutes, we lose consciousness and bodily functions begin shutting down. Beyond six minutes, it is almost a given that there will be irreparable brain damage and probable death.
So it is ironic that, of the three - food, water, and air - the one most necessary is the one we mosGasping headlinest likely take for granted. 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 -- like the smell of mold in a closed room or the presence of heavy smoke or smog.

Lung comparisonThe fact is, that with every breath we take, we are also taking into our lungs and bodies any number of other things, including gasses (many of which we cannot smell so that we are unaware of their presence or harm), odors (which are molecular samples of the things causing the smell), fats, oils, and grease, and varying amounts of tiny pieces of solid materials we often refer to as "dust" - which may be comprised of all manner of things from metallic, to mineral, to chemical, to organic.

Masking odorsWhile Americans annually spend some $3 billion to cover up smells they find offensive, reality dictates that serious air purification must look beyond room fresheners and scented candles and get to the source of our indoor air quality concerns.

Is there a problem?  Those charged with building and maintaining our buildings think so.  The EPA thinks so.  Those who have gotten sick in our buildings think so.  Major attorney firms think so. More and more doctors are beginning to think so.  And after reading the material on these pages you, too, may understand what has so many people concerned -- and unhealthy.  And you will also be introduced to some new and exciting technologies which can fix what's wrong with our indoor environment if it is sick and pro-actively maintain it in a safe, clean, fresh way like never before!







B. What don't we know?

What don't we know?

Kwick Facts

Not to scare you, but the problem is worse than you 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.
Rural 1930's
2. 50 years ago, the primary cause for health issues from air pollution was polluted OUTDOOR air.
3.
50 years ago, SBS (“Sick Building Syndrome”) did not exist.

1970's gas lines
4.

5.
Our current problem began with the oil embargo of the 1970's.

The response of the market place --
   
  • Reduced maximum speed limits to 55 mph; Adjusted thermostats to 65o F in the winter and 78o F in the summer;
  • Passed stringent building codes demanding more energy efficient homes; and
  • Substantially increased the number and types of synthetic building materials which both raised the level of VOC's and lowered the amount of air infiltration.

Don't breathe the air! 6.
The result in the market place --
  • Sick Building Syndrome emerged in the 1980's. It is estimated that at least ONE in THREE buildings is now SICK.
  • Additionally, ONE in TWO homes is thought to have a MOLD PROBLEM, but the occupants may not be aware of it. Which one do you work/live in?
  • 15 million+ Americans now have asthma, (up 80%) and the number is climbing.
  • 28 million+ Americans suffer from hay fever and allergies, and THAT number is climbing. 
  • Air pollution contributes to lung disease, including respiratory tract infections, asthma, and lung cancer.

7. By 1980, at least 80% of Americans have been living in urban environments. Since 1980, incidence of ASTHMA is UP 80%. Coincidence?
8.
We Americans spend 90% - 95% of our time INDOORS. Over the average lifetime, that is 65 YEARS of breathing INDOOR air.
Smell the flowers or the floral scent?
9. U.S. EPA studies have shown that the levels of many airborne pollutants may be 25 to 100 times higher indoors than outdoors. Is there a cause/effect thing here?
10. 80%-90% of most people’s exposure to pesticides occurs indoors.

Not exactly "Green Acres" anymore 11. Sadly, we have come to expect industrial and mining workers to get sick because of the nature of their work exposure, yet 35 - 60 million of America’s NON-INDUSTRIAL workers are ILL per WEEK.

Do we all eat at the same restaurant?

Or do we all breathe the same kind of air?



12.
50% of ALL ILLNESSES are either caused or exacerbated by poor IAQ.

Take a breath and wonder why medical insurance is so high.


13. The EPA, the United States House of Representatives, and the World Health Organization rank INDOOR air pollution as THE Number One environmental health problem.
National awareness
14. The AIA (American Institute of Architects) rates Indoor Air Quality issues as the number one issue to be addressed by architects, engineers, and contractors at least until the year 2010.

15. Productivity losses from Sick Building Syndrome symptoms are estimated to be around 2 percent among office workers, costing an estimated $50 billion annually.
16. U.S. Department of Energy studies suggest that improving buildings and indoor environments could reduce health-care costs and sick leave and increase worker performance, resulting in an estimated productivity gain of $30 to $150 billion annually.
17.
The DOE further estimated that the potential decreases in adverse health effects from improvements in indoor environments to be 10 to 30 percent for infectious respiratory disease and allergy and asthma symptoms and 20 to 50 percent for Sick Building Syndrome symptoms.
18.
In addition, the potential direct increase in office workers' performance was estimated to range between 0.5 and 5 percent. For the U.S., the corresponding annual health-care savings plus productivity gains are --
  • $6 to $19 billion from reduced respiratory disease;
  • $1 to $4 billion from reduced allergies and asthma;
  • $10 to $20 billion from reduced Sick Building Syndrome symptoms, and
  • $12 to $125 billion from direct improvements in worker performance that are unrelated to health.
Ever wonder what happened to that Christmas bonus you were wishing for?


19.

90,000 to 100,000 American patients DIE each year from nosocomial infections they acquire in HOSPITALS and HEALTH CARE FACILITIES while under medical care.
Millions more just get sick. Some face a lifetime of chronic problems and follow up care. It’s a national disgrace. Where should they go for treatment? And who should pay for it?
Hospital acquired pneumonia

Bucket of trouble
20.

Numerous studies conducted by the EPA over the last 25 years have shown measurable levels of over 107 known carcinogens in modern offices and homes.
21. Each year, over 1000 NEW CHEMICALS are approved to be used and released into our air. How long term have been the safety studies? How do they interact with what is already or soon to be out there? How many are our bodies supposed to be able to handle?

Inhalent allergens

Bronchial comparisons
22.

The shoes you wear outside and with which you walk inside carry, among other things, FECAL MATTER, BACTERIA, and MOLD which are deposited on the flooring, carpeting, furniture, and bedding. Hey! Let’s all get down on the floor and play with the kids!




23.



Portions of that same FECAL MATTER, BACTERIA, and MOLD are sucked up into the average vacuum cleaner where they incubate and reproduce. Any idea what happens the next time the vacuum is used?
Is asthma treatment our only option?


24.

1 ounce of household dust contains about 43,000 dust mites and their FECES. After six months, it is estimated that 60% of your pillow’s weight is dust mites and their FECES. Dare you guess how many millions are in your mattress?
Dust mites

25.

Exposure to dust mites, cat saliva, animal dander, and mold, is estimated to cause at least 200,000 emergency room visits by asthma patients each year. Care to join them?

26.

And, as if these concerns were not enough, we now face the real threat of airborne biological weapons. Are we absolutely sure that "the government" is going to be able to protect us? Is there something we can and should be doing for ourselves? Does the name "Katrina" bring to  mind any lessons we should have learned about taking personal responsibility?
Airborne biological weapons


It seems pretty ironic.


As necessary as breathing is,
it is almost an endangerment to one's health to do so.


Is anyone paying attention?


Are there any real answers to these out of control problems?


C. What do we need to know?

Need to Know

Research into Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) issues can quickly lead to information overload.

Information overload
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?
Are we approaching the need the best way?

Are we doing enough to deal with the problems effectively?
Where to go from here?

Is there, as with drinking water, such a thing as too much good air or too pure an air quality?


Cutting through all of the above can take a lot of time, energy, and expense when those commodities may not be in abundant supply.

Fortunately, a brief understanding of the problems and the science behind the solutions can help us reach a satisfactory understanding and set us on an active path of correction and prevention.





D. What are we breathing
?

What are we breathing?

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.








1. Particulates.

Breathable Particulates
"A magnified view of aerosol particles collected in the industrial city of Port Talbot, England. Many of the particles measure roughly 2.5 microns across, small enough to easily enter and damage human lungs." (Courtesy of NASA/MRC Institute for Environment and Health)

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,

Magnified particulates

airborne dirt;

ash and combustion products – whether from tobacco products, forest fires, commercial and industrial furnaces and smokestacks, incinerators of all kinds, or volcanic eruptions;

dander – dead skin cells from animals and people; (The average adult sheds about 80,000 skin cells an hour!)

dust, including powdered stone and other minerals such as gypsum (drywall), powdered talc, other minerals, and coal;
Magnified pet dander
Magnified dust particles

dust mites and other microscopic parasites and their feces, etc., (We are definitely not alone! These are the critters who feed on all those skin cells we are forever flaking off.)


fibers – can be a number of different types from a diversity of origins, as in mineral fibers (such as asbestos and fiberglass); natural textile fibers (as in cotton, linen, silk, wool, etc.) synthetic textile fibers (carpet and all manner of other indoor sources); and other organic fibers, such as paper and cardboard;

fingernail filings;

food crumbs; (Alright, they are for eating, but over a life time more get into your body through your breathing passages than you would ever care to imagine.)

feathers and feather pieces;

glass particles (other than fiberglass);

glue;

graphite, carbon, and other finely ground powders, etc.;

hair, animal and human – includes fur;

insect fragments (actual pieces of body parts, feces, etc.;

metal shavings and dust (from manufacturing and milling activities or any friction causing motion involving metallic components;

mold and other spores, enzymes, and colony particles;

oil soot;

paint chips;

plant parts; These can be any portion of one or more parts of any type of vegetable matter. It can also include grain dust and flour from grain storage and milling.

pollen (all sources); (Each plant’s pollen looks different from
others’, but a common shared feature is their cockleburr-like appearance, a characteristic not lost on the sensitive linings of the brachia and lungs.)

polymer foam particles;

resin powders and dusts;

salt and sugar crystals;

sand and soil; and

wood shavings, to mention a few, all of which increase the respiratory burden just by their very presence.
Magnified dust mite with fecesMagnified asbestos fibers
Magnified mold sporesMagnified pollenMicroscopic sandMicroscopic soot
Magnified sugar crystals




Fat, Oil, and Grease -- a fat chance for trouble.
Particulates also include the components known by the acronym "F.O.G." for "Fats, Oils, and Grease".
Spend much time around a kitchen or a machine shop, and you are dealing with a otentially serious buildup of some mighty nasty materials. Picture coating the linings of your lungs with dirt and butter or axle grease, and you will understand why breathing dust and FOG makes us cough or sneeze (natural responses designed to expel particulates).

Healthy lungs vs. asbestosis lungs
Fortunately, as sensitive and vulnerable as our airways and lungs are, they were designed to be able to fend off many of these particulate contaminates and remarkably recover from unwelcome encounters with them — all other things being equal.

However, for reasons set forth more fully elsewhere, ourIndustrial F.O.G. seen on airduct OUT put! exposures to a growing number of these particulates are becoming more frequent and cumulative, and with less than ideal recovery conditions, less than optimum nutrition, and a general lack of good, breathable air, we are increasingly falling victim to their ravages.

One of the ways we are being affected is by the body’s “blacklisting” certain of the breathables and causing our bodies to respond in a negative manner whenever there is an exposure to them. These are called allergens, which we will review next.

But we should remember, as well, that there is a potentially greater -- though not so evident --risk posed by particulates which goes beyond the offensive materials themselves. Along with being irritating and harmful on their own, breathable particles are the vehicles on which germs, viruses, and other pathogens ride into our airways and make us sick. The greater the volume of particulates in the air we are breathing, the greater the chances that we will be infected and made ill.





2. Allergens.


Fields of potential allergens

There are two parts to breathing:

inhalation - where life sustaining oxygen is brought into the body through our airways and lungs by breathing in, and

exhalation - where the gaseous wastes carried in our blood stream and sent to our lungs for expulsion are expelled by breathing out. Sometimes, the air we breathe in contains things which do more than just clog the sensitive tissues designed to handle the exchange of good and bad air.

Assorted pollens
Beyond just making it difficult to breathe, any particles not filtered out by the hairs in our nostrils will have to be dealt with by our bodies. 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 defence against the intruders.

Sneezing cold
Items with specific DNA signatures such as mold spores, mold enzymes, pollen, animal dander, animal fur or hair, dust
mites, dust mite feces, bacteria on the dust mite feces, and bits of rodent or other animal feces are just a few of these. Like coughs and sneezes, the typical symptoms of "hay fever" (swollen, runny eyes, sore throat, runny nose, swollen sinus membranes, etc.), asthma attacks, and even grand mol seizures are all part of the body's way of trying to rid itself of the offending material before it makes us really sick. Or worse.

There are at least three issues here.

Assorted allergensThe most obvious one is the body's reaction to a specific irritant whose presence has escalated the immunal response to that of an allergic reaction.

The second issue has to do with the phenomena medical science is beginning to track having to do with the effect of continual allergen loads on our bodies. It is found that over time and repeated exposure, even healthy people can develop serious allergies, and those with serious allergies can become really ill.

The third issue is one that has gotten little press or research but may be far more serious than the other two. It has to do with the cross or cross over reactions when MULTIPLE allergens are present and the varied negative reactions begin to complicate matters beyond what science can track and the body can handle.

Particulates
1. Particulates
Fields of Potential Allergens
2. Allergens
Pathogens
3. Pathogens
Odors
Odors
VOC's, smoke, chemicals
5. Chemicals/
Smoke/VOC's
Mold
6. Mold

3. Pathogens.

Pathogens up close and way too personal

As has been pointed out, 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 alien bacteria, viruses, and germs which, upon entering the host body, reproduce and try to stage a takeover.

Pathogens can be deadly or dangerous like the Spanish flu, avian ("bird") flu, SARS, Legionnaires' Disease, e coli, e bola, Listeria, Norwalk virus, and the like (with a whole host of others yet to be identified), or just nuisance things like the common cold or the stuff that happens during a sneeze.

Microscopic bacteria
Microscopic bacteria

Clean hands helpIt was millennia before civilization relearned what the ancients knew about the effects of washing in running water to help reduce infection. However, even when proper hygiene is practiced, we still get sick from germs which make their ways into our bodies. How is that possible? If we are not ingesting them through our mouths or they are not insinuating themselves into our systems by bodily contact, how is it we are still getting sick?

We have again lately come to the understanding known from Biblical times that germs are spread as well through the air and enter our bodies by way of the air we breathe. The mechanism of how this happens is not what most people think.

Strangely (and fortunately) enough, pathogens do not typically have wings or the ability to travel through the air on their own. Without their own means of air travel, they must opportunistically hitch a ride on something else which either has "wings" or at least enough substance to it that it can swirl, mostly unseen, through the air and become part of the air we breathe. Hence, the pathogen/particulate connection.

For a germ or virus to navigate from one place to another over distances is usually dependent upon the presence of some type of particulate matter, including, but certainly not limited to, the 80 thousand skin cells each human typically sloughs off in an hour. As these micro particles are wafted about on the air, they become the "air force" upon which the invading pathogens are carried and by which they make their way into the lungs of a building's occupants. Common sense would tell us that the fewer particles available in the breathable air, the less likely for infections to spread within an indoor environment.  

[NOTE: Could this put us on track to control the spread of infections such as TB, SARS, Hepatitis "A". the Avian flu, and other potential pandemics?  Keep reading!]
SARS Guard
Be sure to check out below the American-based technology that beat SARS!

But even if particulates were reduced or eliminated (which would leave pathogens without a way to fly into our lungs), surface laden pathogens would continue to pose a menace to health if left to grow where they rest.

A pathogen's paradise
Along with targeting particulates, an effective IAQ configuration must have a way of reducing or virtually eliminating pathogens. At the very least, it should keep them from reproducing.

Remembering that our bodies - through our immune systems - have been designed to handle pathogenic invaders, we recognize that most pathogens in small numbers do not pose a major risk. It is the ability of any of the pathogens to survive and reproduce which most often creates the problem which overwhelms us and makes us sick.

Outdoors, pathogens are kept in check, again by design, by the presence of UV light from the sun and other naturally occurring oxidizers circulating in the fresh air. But in the sealed boxes in which we live, pathogens are free to reproduce and, in the presence of antibiotics, to mutate.


Top of IAQ Overview -- Table of Contents --^
<<-- Previous Chapter: IAQ Overview -- What Do We Need to Know?
Beginning of this Chapter: IAQ Overview -- What Are We Breathing? --^

Particulates
1. Particulates
Fields of Potential Allergens
2. Allergens
Pathogens
3. Pathogens
Odors
4. Odors
VOC's, smoke, chemicals
5. Chemicals/
Smoke/VOC's
Mold
6. Mold

Next Chapter: IAQ Overview -- Which Technology Works the Best? -->




4. Odors.

Dangerous odor source!


Do something with the odor!
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. It is not by accident that substances which have a universally recognizable foul odor are known to be harmful to us. Their telltale odors are a fairly sure sign for us to avoid them.
How the sense of smell works

This emission of molecules by a substance is similar, by illustration, to the way that humans lose skin
cells. We do not lose our entire epidermis, at least not all at once, but shed instead those dead cells closest to the surface of our skins. In like manner, all things aromatic "slough off" or emit microscopic pieces of themselves throughout most, if not all, of their existences.

The rates at which this emission occurs from a substance is dependent upon the ability or lack of ability of the mass of the matter to retain those molecules furthest from the center of the mass and closest to Illustration of off-gassingthe surface - where they tend to break free of the chemical bonds which hold them together and take flight into the surrounding air. This phenomenon is called "off-gassing", and the measure of the rate at which it occurs is the measure of its "volatility". Depending upon the nature of the substance itself, the product of the off-gassing will be either benign or toxic. (See "VOC's" next.)

A further consideration is the fact that a substance en masse or as a solid may not pose a health risk, yet the emitted molecules may, because as a solid substance the product is not inhaled, but the gases or emitted molecules are.

Our response to offensive odors in our homes and workplaces is usually to cover them up by overwhelming our smell mechanisms with fragrances we prefer over those we do not. We use potpourri, scented candles, air sprays, carpet and upholstery sprays, closet hangers, outlet puffers, pet sprays, and a rising proliferation of room deodorizers and air fresheners of varying sophistication -
What stinks at your house?
to the tune of upwards of $3 billion annually.

Consider also that one can hardly take a bath or shower, shampoo the hair, wash the hands, wash the dishes, flush the toilets, clean house, or process the laundry without adding still 
more of these cover up perfumes. Unfortunately, tricking our noses into thinking that everything
smells pleasant does not do away with the fact that the sources for the unwanted odors remain active and productive and continue to cause harm to our bodies when they can. And the rising use of fragrance enhanced products is now causing people to develop perfume sensitivities and allergies for which many are seeking medical attention.





5. Chemicals/Smoke/VOC's.

VOC's on demand

Decorator or VOC distributor?

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 manmade sources. Of special concern are those derived from some form of petroleum or petroleum derivative, known in the industry as "petroleum distillates" or "petrochemicals".


Regardless of source, VOC's may range from mildly noxious to lethal, depending both on the type of material and the amount of the exposure. Some naturally occurring VOC's, such as radon or methane gas, can be quite debilitating or dangerous.

And reading the Material Safety Data Sheets ("MSDS") on many fairly common household products should cause a great deal of caution or alarm.
Spectral analysis of new VOC emissions.
Spectral analysis of the VOC emissions from building materials in a newly finished room.

VOC's may or not have a discernable odor to alert one to their presence and possible danger. For instance, natural gas is naturally odorless yet terribly deadly. Government regulations require that a foul smelling substance is added to the gas to let us know when gas may be present and warn of its dangers. Other VOC's do give off warning smells, initially, but with the proliferation of so many artificial substances, we have overwhelmed our discerning sensitivities and gotten accustomed to dealing with myriads of potentially harmful odors.

One way we have done so is by means of the surface and room odorants we so quickly and thoughtlessly use. Another way is by means of a natural response whereby, after prolonged exposure, our olfactory systems often cease to recognize the presence of constant odors. In neither case does it mean that the VOC's have gone away or that they no longer pose a threat. It just means that we do not give them the attention they deserve.

Is your home a chemical factory?
With today's building materials and products, it is almost like having a chemical plant right in your own living room!
What are typically branded as V.O.C.'s and of the most concern are usually found indoors in the off gassings given by synthetic carpet, paints, finishes, furniture, circuit boards, household and commercial cleaning products, insecticides, synthetic surfaces, particle wood products, and thousands of other common household and commercial items. They are of special concern in indoor environments where the same air is constantly re-circulated and the concentrations of the emitted gases can build. New construction is especially notorious for bringing together numerous products and substances known to be at their most volatile (and dangerous) state, though the emission of micro particles will continue almost indefinitely throughout the lifetime of the product.

Likewise, new cars are known for their characteristic "new car smell" generated by the combination of VOC's from the numerous synthesized materials they contain. While that smell is typically linked to the pleasant experience of acquiring new transportation, its presence may not be altogether benign.
 

Further complications arise when gases of certain chemicals which singly may have little or no toxic effect combine with other chemical gases and create new compounds which are toxic to some degree, whether mild or severe. Multiple combinations of these new gaseous compounds (referred to in the IAQ community as "toxic soups") can have a combined net effect which is very hazardous in a closed indoor environment. It is no doubt one of the reasons that the US EPA has stated that we are five times more likely to get cancer from our indoor environments than by any of the pollution exposures we would get out of doors. It would be different if we could SEE the VOC's.
No IAQ plan is complete which does not address the reduction, neutralization, or elimination of VOC's.
Particulates
1. Particulates
Fields of Potential Allergens
2. Allergens
Pathogens
3. Pathogens
Odors
Odors
VOC's, smoke, chemicals
5. Chemicals/
Smoke/VOC's
Mold
6. Mold

Next Chapter: IAQ Overview -- Which Technology Works the Best? -->






6.  Mold.

Welcome to our colony, Alien Earthling!

Moldy tile look familiar?
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.

Mold spores can also easily attach to our shoes and clothing, the fur and coats of animals, and may even be carried about on the bodies or body parts of insects. In short, anything entering our indoor living space is probably accompanied by mold spores.

Mold species are created to be extremely opportunistic, hardy, prolific, and territorial. Consequently, mold is in a position to begin its work on organic material anywhere at any time that conditions favor colonization -- regardless of the age or expense of the site.

Mold as yourimmune system sees it.
Hardly visible to the unaided eye unless in major concentrations, this is more like how our immune systems view mold and mold spores.

Since the oil shortages of the early to mid 1970's, in an effort to conserve energy, we stopped building our structures in ways that allow for the free circulation and exchange of fresh air into our living spaces, utilizing instead building methods that do not allow our structures to breathe or release moisture buildup. As a consequence, we now live in conditions which increasingly favor mold growth better indoors than are found outdoors. Annual estimates of structural damages attributed to mold range in the multiple billions, and costs are climbing each year with insurance companies assuming less and less of the risk.

Of the 100,000 mold species which have been catalogued (with perhaps another 200 - 300k we have yet to discover) - there are probably less than 100 (or perhaps no more than around fifty) that pose any kind of health hazard to humans. The bad news is that the top four or five of those mold species which do pose a health risk are the very ones which take up residence indoors.

There is presently no way of predicting ahead of time who will or will not be most affected by mold or at what level. Each individual is different, and what one can tolerate may well be harmful or even fatal to another. The assumption is that the weaker and more infirm will suffer the most, but mold has been known to take down healthy adults in their primes.
Conjunctivitis.  Possibly from mold?
What baffles many patients and their doctors is that there are hosts ofmold-related maladies and
illnesses for which patients are being treated, whether as inflammations, allergies, or infections, where the root connection to the mold infestation is not made. Allergic reactions (often referred to as hay fever) are most common following mold exposure. Typical symptoms that mold-exposed people report (alone or in combination) include, among others, a plethora of chronic and debilitating problems, ranging from mild irritations to long-term life-threatening or ending conditions such as -

Maladies Currently Attributed to Mold
Wanted poster - The Mold Spore Gang

And the lifelong pain, suffering, and expense of a mold-exposed patient who becomes immune compromised is incalculable.

One of the consequences is that lawsuits over indoor air quality issues are being viewed in the legal community as the next national tidal wave of litigation, a trend so huge that all other previous trends (such as asbestos and tobacco) will pale by comparison both in the scope and number of the trials and in the amounts of the settlements.



A proper IAQ strategy must treat the ever presence of mold spores

and the environment into which they come
with technology so effective
that mold outbreaks are virtually guaranteed never to occur.

Wherever possible, mold must be stopped before it gets started.








Introduction.

THAT something needs to be done is fairly obvious.  WHY people do what they do is evidenced by a recent market survey response where buyers of air filtration / "purification" devices or systems indicated their reasons for acquiring their systems.

Market Survey - Reasons people buy air filters/purifers

Two QUESTIONS still remain.

1) "Are the people who pay their money actually getting the answers to their concerns? And,

2) is the technology they are acquiring doing the job they are expecting?

As follows, they may well be surprised at what they are (or, really, are NOT) getting.



Active vs. Passive.  For all the dozens -- if not hundreds -- of devices offered to the public to do some sort of air filtering or purifying, they all, without exception, fall into one of only two categories, for there are just two basic approaches to IAQ issues. The most common - because until recently the only approach known - has been passive.

1. Passive technology.

Passive technology



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. Even if a filter were 100% effective at trapping and keeping 100% of the contaminates 100% of the time (which it never is or can be), its effectiveness would be limited only to those contaminates which physically pass through the filtering mechanism, leaving all the unfiltered air to remain contaminated.
Is your air filter any more effective than a spider's web?
Does this represent the air "purifier" you are depending upon?  If so, your technology is full of holes.

Passive air systems are just glorified vacuums.
A passive air purifier's ability to clean a room, like a vacuum cleaner, is limited to its physical location and its ability to move dirt toward its intake.
Another analogy would be that of a vacuum cleaner in a room saturated with dust and dirt - on the floor and carpet, the furniture, the drapes, the bookshelves, everywhere. Giving the vacuum credit for being 100% efficient (which it can never be) at removing dirt from any air that it suctions, put the vacuum in the room anywhere you like, high or low, and turn it on at maximum power. Regardless of what it does to the air and contaminates once they enter the machine, it's ability to clean the room is limited to its physical location and its ability to move dirt toward its intake.

Because of its inherent design technology, even powered by a jet engine, it will never clean the room completely. There will be wind current eddies and dead spots, just as in a running stream, that will harbor materials which will never see the inside of a passive air filter. (The kind of power it would take to get all the dirt into the vacuum would be enough to suck up the furnishings and carpet as well. Plus, the noise would be unbearable!)

Among the so called air "purifier" manufacturers, the competition is fierce. Some do speak of "CFM" (cubic feet per minute), the measured amount of air that can pass through such a system over a given period of time. Some companies or models use a germicidal light or other method to try to sanitize or sterilize the air which makes it through the device. At least one make boasts an incinerator to burn up contaminates as they pass through. But regardless of brand, model, size, capacity, or features, the hottest area of contention, however, is the efficiency of the filter/s themselves, often offered in multiples or multi-stages.

Filter cutaway.A term often heard among air device manufacturers is that their system or filter meets "HEPA" standards.

Developed after World War II to trap atomic dust particles, "HEPA" stands for "High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance". It generally means that the filter will capture 99.97% of particulates down to those as small as .3 microns, which includes some bacteria, fungal, and other opportunistic micro biologicals.

At first glance, that is pretty impressive. To be sure, for all those people who have gained some measure of relief by being able to breathe air whose contaminates have been reduced to some degree, HEPA and passive air purification has been a blessing. But the results have often been inconsistent and not stable enough to be accurately predictable from one venue to another or from one piece of equipment to the next.
Collection of HEPA filters
Even among those conforming to HEPA standards there will be discrepancies and deficiencies depending upon when the evaluation tests are run relative to the buildup of the load in the filter itself. Was the filtering medium fresh? Were the numbers achieved and averaged over any particular length/s of time and filtering loads? What were those parameters? How dirty was the air that went into the device? What was the measurable air flow at the time of the test, and how did it compare to later when the filter was much more full (dirtier)?

What most have observed about other types of filters, be they vacuum bags or oil or air filters for cars, is also true of HEPA filters. It stands to reason that a filter works by letting air pass through its openings, whether they be small or large (although the surrounding fibers are an impediment). As particles are caught on the surfaces of the filter's fibers, they bridge over the openings through which air is supposed to pass and clog them. As those openings become clogged, the number of remaining openings diminishes.

Side by side filter comparisonHence, the more that filtered particles build up on the filtering surfaces, the less efficient will be the flow of air through the filter. The slower the airstream through a filter, the fewer the particulates which will be taken out of the stream flow and the less will be the efficiency of the device. Unless a system's rating is based upon its minimum efficiency under loaded conditions, any filtering device will function at its best when new or equipped with fresh filtering media and drop off (often exponentially) as it does its job and the load increases.

While diminishing filter capacity concerns are a consideration, they do not represent the main weakness of passive technology. Nor is the issue primarily the relative power of the air moving device (fan horsepower, speed, blade efficiencies, etc.) The fundamental deficiency is that the technology is utterly dependent upon contaminates finding their way into the filter where they can be trapped. Experience has shown that not all contaminates cooperate in this effort.

And beyond those considerations, there may remain questions as to the viability of pathogens and mold spores, trapped to be sure, but which might still be able to pose a threat where they accumulate in the filtering device or may find themselves scattered when the filters are removed, replaced, or cleaned.
All of the above having been said and factored, there is one final concern, but it is staggering. It must be understood that not all HEPA filters are created equal.  And it must also be acknowledged that all HEPA filters do not perform at the same level or efficiencies.  Some do better earlier into their useful lives, while others may function not as well initially but be more consistent over their service life. Be that as it may, as of this time in history, the HEPA filter as a class seems to be the best of the best as far as filters and filtration technologies are concerned (all of which are passive and, consequently, limited as discussed). One huge fact remains, an issue having to do with the sheer physics of the problem.

While the list of particles and particle sizes flitered out by HEPA compliant filters appears to be impressively grand (all sizes down to .3 microns), 98.5% of all particle counts are <.5 microns! As tiny as these particles are individually, their collective mass comprises 6% by weight of all the particles in the air. If at first glance 6% of the weight of collective particulates may seem somewhat small, think of the massive amount of weight and the large particle sizes one would find in a full vacuum container bag or an air filter. Depending upon the vacuum or filter type, three to six percent (or even more) of all the particulates one would want cleaned from the breathing space would pass all the way through the filter and back out again, even if the filter device could force all the particles in the room to enter its orifice. Then remember that it is the small particulates (<.5 microns) which make us ill.
Has our technology kept up with the air problems we have created?

Passive air purification technology, regardless of how efficient, leaves unresolved any items or issues not passing through its system, and, is, therefore, an inferior and aged approach if utilized alone.

Pollution Removal Efficiancies for Passive Filters

Summary of the common problems
faced by ALL Passive Technologies
X IMPOSSIBLE for ALL air to get TO them and THROUGH them.

X FILTERS and PLATES become constant source of POLLUTION,
HIGH MAINTENANCE, and COST.
X FILTERS and PLATES have LIMITED EFFECT on VOC's, ODORS, BACTERIA, MOLD, and MILDEW which pass through the systems.
X FILTERS and PLATES have NO EFFECT on VOC's, ODORS, BACTERIA, MOLD, and MILDEW on SURFACES in the room.
X Where UV lights are used, they affect only the specific areas
onto which they directly shine.
X VENTILATING is extremely expensive and limited in its effectiveness.

X If PASSIVE technology is so effective,
WHY ISN'T THE PROBLEM SOLVED?


Top of IAQ Overview: Table of Contents --^
<<-- Previous Chapter: IAQ Overview -- What Are We Breathing?
Beginning of this Chapter: IAQ Overview -- Which Technology Works the Best? --^

Next Chapter: IAQ Overview -- Major Differences in Available Technologies -->






2. Active technology.
This is ACTIVE technology!

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.

Instead of a "spider's web" approach which depends upon particulates hitting the filter media, active air purification technology is like launching a never ending stream of billions of "microscopic electric fly swatters" or "Pac Men" which seek out and remove from the air whatever is floating around which would cause us respiratory distress. It utilizes an exclusive synergistic multi-stage combination of scientifically proven methods for finding and dealing with the contaminates wherever they are.

IAQ Overview: Table of Contents --^
<<-- Previous Chapter: IAQ Overview -- What Are We Breathing?
Beginning of this Chapter: IAQ Overview -- Which Technology Works the Best? --^

Next Chapter: IAQ Overview -- Major Differences in Available Technologies -->



a. Stage One -- Dual Ionization (Particulate Removal).

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

ions and ion attractions Although they were once small enough to remain airborne, electrically charged ions have attracted enough particulates together so that they must fall out of breathing range.


Like aircraft too heavy for their engines or jumbo jets out of fuel, the particulates stagger and fall to the floor, colliding, collecting, and clumping with others on their way down. Rather than passive, this is active technology which fully sweeps and cleans the interior air spaces and penetrates into cavity areas. Ions also adversely affect the health of pathogens while improving the feeling of well being among people and animals.


Research More on ionization here

Negative ion studies

How negative ions clean up the air


b. Stage Two -- Quad Oxidizing Plasmas.

Diagram of RCI Technology

Stage two involves the simultaneous use of another technology which introduces a plasma of multiple, "friendly" oxidizers into the living space. (They are known as "friendly", for, just as in nature, whether or not they have had the opportunity to do their assigned duties, within about thirty minutes, they revert right back to molecules of H2O from whence they were derived from the air in the atmosphere.)

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.
 Effective UVX wavelength
By engineering the proper light wavelengths into the RCI™ cell, what develops is a highly effective system designed to utilize 254 nm hv germicidal UV light. Falling between visible UV light and invisible X-Rays in the light spectrum, UVX makes use of the same oxidation and ionizing properties of light as naturally occurring sunlight. This technology takes advantage of these ionizing properties and combines them with the photo catalytic reactions of specific rare and noble metals to create Radiant Catalytic Ionization (RCI™). This innovative use of light is what makes RCI™ so effective.



KSU Executive Summary

Kansas State University Studies

KSU RCI Charted Test Results

University of Cinncinnati Executive Summary

IAQ Overview: Table of Contents --^
<<-- Previous Chapter: IAQ Overview -- What Are We Breathing?
Beginning of this Chapter: IAQ Overview -- Which Technology Works the Best? --^

Next Chapter: IAQ Overview -- Major Differences in Available Technologies -->






c. Stage Three -- Advanced Oxidization.

Radical Hydroxyls

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. (While science cannot agree as to whether such a spore is technically "dead" or alive, there is agreement that neutered cells cannot proliferate and create mold or pathogenic colonies. Part of the problem may be that, because 200,000 or so spores can fit on the head of a pin, we may not have a stethoscope small enough to listen for a pulse on any of them.)






d. Combo Effect -- The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of its Parts.
Combo Effect
"These are highly reactive chemical species. Hydroxyl radicals are very strong oxidizers and will attack all kinds of organic materials.” -- Daniel Blake, Dept of Energy’s Natural Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado


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





KSU RCI Charted Test Results


3. Major differences in Available Technologies.

Apples are not Oranges
It should be rather obvious. Things that are not the same are not equal.

On occasion, disparate technologies may approach a problem from different perspectives and in different ways, coming up with similar results. In the contest between passive and active air purification technologies, different they are. Similar or equal results? Nowhere close.




a. Literally out of this world.

The science behind the RCITM technology was originally developed for the critical needs and challenges found in space exploration. NASA refers to the product of this process as "the purest air on the planet", and it is the only air purification technology in the entire solar system to have won the prestigious Certified Space TechnologyTM designation.

Today it is used to insure the health and safety not only of our astronauts in the space station, but also of our naval personnel on America’s nuclear subs. 
Space station photo
In space, there's no second chance if you get  it wrong, especially in the quality of the air.
Certified Space Technology LogoIn both instances, we would all agree, breathing doesn't get a second chance if the air becomes fouled. With RCITM technology, it's the germs, not the people, who don't get a second chance. Now THAT is PRO-ACTIVE!!!

b. Overall Air Purity.
How clean is the air?
For indoor air quality, active air purification is more than just a little unique. It is absolutely off the charts. How much so was begun to be realized with the discovery of an unanticipated phenomenon during laboratory testing.

RCI'sTM Triple-Pro-active Technology is so effective at cleansing treated air space of particulates that it actually created somewhat of a problem. In all the thousands of models of air filters and air cleaning devices that have ever been tested, not one had ever encountered a similar difficulty, because no other technology had ever gotten the air so free of particulates as the active purification technology behind RCITM.

Not one. Not one time.

c. Too Clean to Test for Purity?
Lab Tech
With air quality, there are at least two major factors —

cleanliness, the relative freedom of particulates (dirt) in the air and

purity, the relative lack of germs in the air.


Historical air testing for purity requires finding dirt (particulates) in the air and checking the health and vitality of the germs living on or in the dirt

Under standard testing protocol, if the dirt (particulates) happen to test relatively germ free or the germs are not very healthy, the air is declared to be fairly pure – even though it took the presence of dirt in the air in order to make that determination. Sounds a bit silly and circular. So much for yesterday's technology and its understanding of the problem.

Where's the dirt? 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.”
 

Put another way, it sounds like this. “The air has to be sufficiently dirty in order to find enough dirt in the air in order to measure the germs on the dirt in order to certify how relatively pure the less than clean dirty air is.” And so far, in the absence of any dirt to give them something to test, no private or governmental agency has been successful in designing a protocol to test the actual purity of RCI'sTM treated un-particulate-laden air.

e. What to do?
What to do?
What to do?  What to do?
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.

Left with no other alternatives, what we can do and have done at this point is to smear live cultures of some really nasty germs on stainless steel surfaces in a laboratory, turn on our equipment, and see if any of the culture colonies survive what RCITM does to germs.  While the test itself may be a bit unconventional, the results are mouth-droppingly compelling.



f. Where are the Germs?
KSU RCI Testing Results
First off, 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% and some spiked as high as 100%. The response of the test team was so positive over those results that the technology was later tested against some equally challenging viruses as well. Kill rates were similar, even against tested strains of hepititis and the dreaded Avian flu (100% killed)!

All that can be officially extrapolated at this point is that, if pathogens are being killed wherever they may be hiding on horizontal or vertical surfaces, there will be a virtual absence of pathogens in or out of the air within any airspace or wall cavity where this RCITM Five-way Technology has been employed. So, the assumption is logically made, and the anecdotal evidence seems to support the fact, that the air must be mighty fresh and pure since we are not breathing dirt, and germs can't live or grow in our RCITM purified air.  Click here to see the same results which amazed us!



Example of a dirty HEPA filterIn 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.

RCI'sTM active technology is going after unwanted bacteria, viruses, spores, and germs – even if they are nowhere near the air purifier – and destroying them where they rest as well as where they hide.

There is no chance for a mistake, spill, or reinfection from a collection of pathogens in a filter which must then be properly handled and disposed.

h. Odor Abatement/Removal.

Odors creep up everywhere.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 offgassings of VOC's, which are also neutralized and rendered harmless.  Where smoke, animal odors, decomposition odors, body odors, garbage odors, etc., rendered an air space uncomfortable or uninhabitable, Active Purification TechnologyTM seeks out the offending sources of those odors, and its full sanitization can restore the indoor air quality to a fresh, clean, pleasant condition while SurfaceGuardTM Technology makes it safe again, killing the odor-causing germs on the surfaces inside the space.

Active air purification technology





F. What IAQ issues must be considered and addressed?

What must be considered?
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 devices or systems to achieve those goals.

Effectiveness Comparison Chart
— Scores as follows —
"N" = "No" --- "L" = "Limited" --- "Y" = "Yes"

Passive Technology
RCITM ACTIVE Purification Technology
L Particulate Control/Reduction

 Y  Particulate Control/Reduction
L Dust Control/Reduction

Y Dust Control/Reduction
N Reducing/ Removal of Dust/Dander/Skin Mites Y Reducing/ Removal of Dust/Dander/Skin Mites
L Smoke Control/Reduction

Y Smoke Control/Reduction
N Odor Reduction/Elimination

Y Odor Reduction/Elimination
N Mold Sanitization

Y Mold Sanitization
N Inhibition/Prevention of Mold Colony Formation or Mold Regrowth by Neutering of Mold Spores Y Inhibition/Prevention of Mold Colony Formation or Mold Regrowth by Neutering of Mold Spores
N Bacteria Control/Reduction

Y Bacteria Control/Reduction
N Pathogenic Control/Reduction

Y Pathogenic Control/Reduction
N Control/Reduction/Neutralizing of V.O.C's
Y Control/Reduction/Neutralizing of V.O.C's
N-L F.O.G. (Fat, Oil, and Grease) Control/Reduction Y F.O.G. (Fat, Oil, and Grease) Control/Reduction
N Discouragement/Elimination of Vermin/Insects Y Discouragement/Elimination of Vermin/Insects
L Improvement of Overall Air Quality

Y Improvement of Overall Air Quality
N Certified Space TechnologyTM

Y Certified Space TechnologyTM
 

Add up the scorecards and decide
which is the superior approach to indoor air quality issues.
___ Total Y’s (Yes’s) ___ Total Y’s (Yes’s)
___ Total L’s (Limited’s) ___ Total L’s (Limited’s)
___ Total N’s (No’s) ___ Total N’s (No’s)






G. Are there medical considerations?

Medical considerations

1. Obligatory disclaimers.
Treatment can be more costly than prevention

a. None of the items Pro-active Environmental Technologies recommends and
installs 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.

(Stay tuned, though, as we are anticipating some exciting news in this regard in the very near future.)

b. Neither Pro-active Environmental Technologies nor any of its suppliers diagnose or recommend treatment for any illness or disease. There are hosts of alphabet soup type regulatory bodies with which to deal in the medical arena, and we find our time and energies better used in other endeavors than responding to their onerous paperwork.

c. Information made available here directly or indirectly is tendered so that informed parties can make informed decisions.

2. Practical realities.

However, with the above’s being said, there are some aspects to consider which may have some "medical" or health implications in the broadest applications and understandings of the terms.

There are millions of people living in situations where indoor air quality has compromised their bodies' immune systems, has allowed them to become allergic, infected, and sick, and whose lives and lifestyles are far less than optimal as a result.

Burkitt's lymphoma - probably from mold.

A child with Burkitt's lymphoma, a type of tumor first discovered in Africa. The African form of Burkitt's lymphoma is often associated with early childhood infection by the Epstein-Barr virus. Custom Medical Stock Photo, Inc.

Epstein Barr Syndrome symptoms.
Epstein-Barr Symptoms –
Epstein-Barr Syndrome is often brought on by exposure to mold
and a resulting weakened immune system.


Straight common sense would dictate that any effective means by which pollutants, particulates, contaminants, pathogens, allergens, irritants, offensive odors, VOC's, dust and dust mites, mold and mold related problems, and other indoor air quality concerns are seriously reduced or eliminated will have a profoundly positive effect on anyone's health.


Imagine being so blessed as to be breathing truly purified air as a result of the presence and utilization of these wonderful and exclusive technologies where the body can concentrate on strengthening and healing instead of constant and preventable "housecleaning" chores!

Would living in such a pleasantly sanitary atmosphere heighten the risk of infection outside of such an improved environment? To the contrary, it seems only logical that allowing the immune system to balance out and rebuild itself free from the onslaught of polluted indoor air should potentially strengthen one's resistance to infections when out in public.
  • We can point to the results from sophisticated and structured tests showing what happens to pathogens and contaminants when exposed to our technologies.
  • We can conduct onsite testing proving the efficacy of our technology in your living or working environment.
  • We can cite testimonials from those who claim that their lives and health have been greatly improved by utilizing our products and services. 
But only you can decide what is best for you, your family, and the air spaces over which you choose to take responsibility and take control, for that choice is yours and yours alone to make.

Our children have a right to hope!

If the pollutants our technology is designed to reduce or eliminate are making you or your loved ones sick, or even have the potential of doing so, it only makes sense that life with those pollutants reduced or removed will be healthier and happier.
She can't tell us why she is sick.



H.   Are there legal and other considerations?

Legal considerations

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. The oxidizing process neutralizes, abates, and eliminates most or all odors, including VOC's. By oxidizing pollen, mold spores, viruses, bacteria, microbes, and the like the living space or workplace will be much friendlier.

Mom with Child defending against SARSAnd it will be safer. (This is the same American technology the government of China acquired to combat SARS. Even sneezes, which are expelled at 300 mph, are clinically proven to have 78% of their pathogens killed within three feet.) The SurfaceGuardTM Technology renders the surfaces sanitary, killing the countless hidden germs, pathogens, microbes, and mold spores better, faster, and more thoroughly than by any other safe method. The air is fresher, cleaner, purer, and much more enjoyable.

The effect is a far healthier indoor environment. A properly air purified workplace contributes to a more robust and attendant employee roster. It also guards against Sick Building Syndrome by reducing and eliminating the causes of same before they become pandemic. This translates into dollars because of lowered absenteeism and generally better output. The sanitized environment of a correctly air purified home lends itself to healthier, less stressed living. Sleep is enhanced because dust mites and their attendant problems become things of the past. Allergy and asthma sufferers testify to finding welcome relief as their respiratory loads are dramatically reduced.

Individual pieces within a Pro-active Environmental Technologies protected air purified environment - as well as the system in its entirety - comprise a combination of patented technologies which are considered the Best Available Today's Technology ("BATT"). That's peace of mind on a personal level that you are doing all that is possible for yourself and your loved ones in providing pure indoor air.

Using a BATT approach to your office or workplace IAQ needs, whether in an industrial, commercial, institutional, or hospitality setting dramatically lightens the concerns over liability and litigation actions having to do with IAQ issues. This means for the properly prepared client that, should an IAQ legal problem arise, for any building where these technologies are installed and utilized, there can be no finding of culpability or liability for ignorance or neglect (and hence, no settlement amount), in that the technologies employed represent the best attempt/s humanly possible to address IAQ problems. Period.

Passive technology is no match for Active Purification Technology.





I.  When is Timing an Issue?

Time considerations

As an environmental consideration, the sooner proper air purification equipment is installed, the lessTime is money, health, and life. 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).

Less than BATT.If the buildig is relatively new, VOC's, unless oxidized, will continue to accumulate as carpet, carpet underlayment, wall coverings, adhesives, paneling, laminates, furnishings, electronic equipment, treated fabrics, and other items are installed, moved in, or used. Further, the fact that construction may be new is no guarantee that mold spores have not taken residence or even already started forming colonies, especially where cinder block or wood might have been exposed to rain during the erection phase. The sooner that the Five-way Active Purification Technology provided by RCI™ is in place, the less likely it will be for mold to become an issue.

Fortunately, the facts favor our ability to "Take Responsibility, Take Control" of our own environments.  It is neither the job of government nor of charities to do for us what we can do for ourselves.  The exciting news is found in the technologies we now have available to make a positive difference for ourselves, our loved ones, and our posterity. Read on and be encouraged and amazed!

Forest fresh air is available wherever you are!



There's More!





Pro-active Environmental Technologies - Footer
Copyright 2005 - 2014 -- breathe-easier.com -- All Rights Reserved

NEW!
Check out the videos
Check out the videos

Overview Topics

Is There a Problem?

A. Is There a Problem?

An introduction to indoor air quality issues.
go>>        



What Don't We Know

B. What Don't We Know?
 -- KWIK FACTS. 

The problem is worse than we
realize.

go>>          



Need to Know

C. What Do We Need to Know?

Sorting out the info and charting a course to follow.


go>>        


What Are We Breathing?

D. What are We Breathing?

Unwelcome guests we receive every time we breathe.

go>>        

Particulates

1. Particulates.

Airborne pieces of a lot of stuff we should not be breathing.

go>>        



Fields of Potential Allergens

2. Allergens.

The body’s “hit list” of alien invaders.

go>>        

Pathogens

3. Pathogens. 


The bacteria, viruses, and germs which reproduce in the human body and try to stage a takeover.

go>>        

Odor Sources

4. Odors.


Things have odors for a reason,
but why?
Can the problem be corrected rather than merely masked or covered up?

go>>        



VOC's on Demand

5. Chemicals/Smoke/VOC's.
 
Are we possibly drowning in a toxic soup?

go>>        



Mold

6. Mold.

Is what we see dangerous?
And is what we don't see
perhaps more dangerous than what we do see?  


go>>        



Which Technology?

E. Which Technology Works the Best?

Are the technologies pretty much equal, or is their a large disparity among them?

go>>        



Passive Technology

1. Passive Technology.

The pollution finds the solution.
(Or so we hope!)


go>>        



Active Technology

2. Active Technology.

The solution finds the pollution -
even where it is hiding!


go>>        



ions

a. Stage One --
Dual Ionization (Particulate Removal)


go>>        



Quad Oxidizing Plasma Generator
b. Stage Two -- Quad Oxidizing Plasmas

go>>        



Radical Hydroxyls

c. Stage Three -- Advanced Oxidation

go>>        



RCI Technology
d. Combo Effect -- The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of its Parts.

go>>        



Apples and Oranges

3. Major Differences.

Things that are not the same
are not equal.


go>>        



Out of this world

a. Literally out of this world.

The technology which produces
"the purest air on the planet"
actually comes from
out of this world.

go>>        



Overall air purity

b. Overall Air Purity.

By what standard do you certify the actual purity of air?

go>>        



Lab tech

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?

go>>        



Where's the dirt?
d. Where's the Dirt?

(Where is Clara Peller
when you need her?)

go>>        



What to do?

e. What to do? 


Anybody can see that it’s clean except the career bureaucrats.


go>>        



Where are the germs?

f. Where are the Germs?

Hint: One place they are not is
"Blowin' in the Wind".


go>>        



Who gets to clean the conventional filter?

g. Filtration rates vs. Kill rates.

In the war against pathogens,
would you like your germs
captured and contained
or killed "graveyard dead"?

go>>        



Odor abatement/removal

h. Odor Abatement/Removal.

The same thing that RCITM
does to particulates and germs it does also to smoke, dust, and sources of odors.


go>>        



What must be considered?

F. What IAQ issues must be considered and addressed?

Head to head comparison of the technologies - very revealing.

go>>        



Medical considerations

G. Are there medical considerations?

Obligatory disclaimers and the practical realities of what happens when a sick body can actually catch its breath.

go>>        



Legal considerations

H. Are there legal and other considerations?

What happens if we just ignore the problem or fail to investigate it fully?

go>>        



When is timing an issue?

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?


go>>