NEW DELHI: With Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital remaining in the ‘severe’ category for days, city residents are desperately looking for ways to breathe easy. The surge in the sale of air purifiers during the season testifies to the increasing reliance of people. The effectiveness and intricacies involved with their usage are, however, a question of contention.
Dr Manav Manchanda, a senior consultant in respiratory medicine, said that effectiveness of air purifiers mostly depends on its quality. One must recognize that certain air purifiers release ozone and other harmful pollutants, which could augment the present risk. Thus, it is essential to identufy a purifier with minimal ozone emissions so that pursuit of clean air does not worsen the situation.
Dr Akshay Budhraja, a senior medical consultant said that variables like the presence of contaminants, consistency of usage of the purifier, ventilation, cleaning habits should also be factored in to determine the output of air purifiers.
Research indicates that purifiers equipped with High Efficiency Particulate Air filters and UV-C technology helps to maintain optimal air quality in its vicinity but whether it may be considered a solution is debatable. Air purifiers are effective only for a certain period when the person is in its vicinity and is redundant as soon as the user vacates the room. Air purifiers might fulfill its utility to a reasonable extent but researchers are divided on if it could be a long-term solution for the choking capital.