Air Purifier for Odors

The human nose is very sensitive to small concentrations of certain compounds. We experience the sensation of an odor when an airborne molecule bonds to the surface of special receptors in our nose.¹ Since it can require a very small amount of a substance in the air to produce a smell,² even limited sources of air contamination can be detected. Volatile organic compounds, carbon-containing molecules which evaporate at room temperature, comprise a wide range of smells. An activated carbon filter, such as the kind found in an air purifier for odors, can reduce or remove these smells.

Superpowered Nose

Some chemicals can be detected by the human nose in incredibly miniscule amounts. For example, a citrusy-smelling volatile organic compound called (Z)8-tetradecenal can be detected at concentrations of less than one in 100 billion.³ In other words, if one molecule for every 100 billion molecules in the air you inhale is an (Z)8-tetradecenal, you will be able to smell it.

With such an outsized ability, it is no wonder that it can be difficult to remove smells or odors from a living or working space. Even if you successfully eliminate the source of the smell, the molecules can continue to float around for long after the source is gone.

Activated Charcoal

An air purifier with a carbon filter will circulate air through a filter of activated carbon, also called activated charcoal. The activated carbon has an enormous surface area relative to the volume it occupies, sometimes nearly as high as 4,000 square meters per gram.⁴ All of that surface area provides plenty of places for volatile organic compounds to adsorb, or adhere to the surface, of the carbon. The process is so effective that it is used to eliminate the smell of sewage from the gases that are released during waste treatment.⁵

Beyond Smell

In addition to being able to greatly reduce the incidence of smells and odors, a properly designed and maintained air purifier can improve air quality. In fact, some of the compounds we can smell are actually harmful chemicals. Benzene, a carcinogen, is detectable in concentrations as low as 1.5 parts per million.⁶ Removing this harmful substance from the air can benefit your health.

An air purifier for odors that uses an activated carbon filter can also serve as an effective air purifier for chemicals. Sometimes called an electric air cleaner, before the air is passed through the activated carbon, some type of filter for particulate matter is often used to prevent the carbon filter from becoming clogged. A HEPA air purifier is incredibly efficient at removing particulate matter like soot, dust, mold spores, and bacteria.