Ozone Generating Devices

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about ozone-generating devices being marketed as a health boosting solution to indoor air quality problems. But buyer beware, as my findings on these devices are anything but healthy! Truth is, excessive levels of ozone can contribute to eye and nose irritation, and respiratory health problems.

So what exactly is ozone? Well, the ozone in the upper atmosphere, or "stratospheric ozone," is a naturally occurring gaseous layer that shields the earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet light. Troposphere ozone, or ozone that is closest to the earth's surface, is really a pollutant and the main ingredient in urban smog. In fact, ground level ozone is monitored by the Federal and State Clean Air Legislation. Some of the effects that exposure to ground level ozone causes are:

• Eye, nose, throat, and lung irritation.



• Significant temporary decreases in lung capacity in healthy, exercising adults.



• Asthmatic individuals are especially susceptible to ozone toxicity, which includes constricting airways.



• Can cause increased sensitivity to airborne allergens and other irritants, and it can impair the body's immune system.



• Summertime ozone episodes in the northeastern U.S. lead to 10-20% increases in hospital admissions and emergency room visits.



• Human population studies of long-term exposures to low-level ozone indicate that it may lead to permanent reduction in lung capacity; animal studies have shown chronic high-level exposures can cause lasting structural damage in the lungs.



• Children, especially asthmatics, are most at risk from exposure to ozone.

The argument for use ozone generating devices is that it is used as a biocide (to kill microbes) in water. However, ozone is ineffective in the air unless used at dangerously high levels — 3000 ppb (Parts Per Billion). To put that number in perspective, the permissible amount of ozone exposure within an office workspace over the course of 8 hours is 100 ppb, according to the FDA.

There are better and proven ways to remove indoor airborne particles and that is with using a high efficiency particle air filter (HEPA) air cleaner. Evaluations of household air cleaners have been published by the Consumers Report, the American Lung Association and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The former two reports give explicit warnings against ozone-generating devices. The Consumer Reports' authors conclude, after performing tests, that they "wouldn't recommend an ozone generator even as a last resort."