In select geographies, especially in urban environments, air pollution has become a pressing matter — leading to innovative solutions. 


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Air purifiers have emerged as one of the most sought-after solutions to tackle this environmental challenge, as the growing emphasis to breathe clean air indoors is taking precedence among increasingly health-conscious customers.


Prashant Bora, MD & CEO of OTEK shares how air purifiers impact to avoid air pollution in urban environment.


The shift towards purchasing air purifiers can be attributed to increased fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in indoor settings. PM2.5 is directly associated with heightened air pollution, which leads to reduced quality of air across the world. Recent studies reveal that people spend up to 90% of their time indoors in urban areas (home, workplace etc.), highlighting the adverse effects of PM2.5 in indoor environments. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), indoor air pollution can be 10 times higher than outside, leading to up to 4% of all health complications globally, resulting in the death of 20 lakh individuals yearly. Furthermore, studies have shown that indoor air pollution results in monetary losses of up to $10.7 billion yearly across the world — highlighting the importance of installing air purifiers in urban environments. 


Implication of air pollution on health 
Smoking, cooking, burning incense sticks and outdoor air pollution are some of the leading reasons for indoor air pollution in India. Researchers suggest that the origin of 75% of indoor PM2.5 can be attributed to sources from outside. However, coupled with the sources from inside, air pollution rises significantly in indoor settings — leading to an enhanced requirement for air purifiers. In these scenarios, natural ventilation offers little help to address this challenge and air purifiers become the most efficient approach for purification. Different air purification processes like filtration, negative ion purification and electrostatic purification offer extensive protection from air pollution, leading to streamlined health. 


Furthermore, India has been facing a considerable rise in respiratory health challenges like asthma and COPD in recent years. Numerous factors like stubble burning, transportation, construction and others are some of the largest contributors to this phenomenon. For example, 1.5 crore Indians become victims of COPD every year, resulting in as many as 5 lakh deaths. Additionally, India boasts of between 2-3 crore asthma patients, a large number of whom are children aged under 11. Other respiratory diseases like Bronchitis are also increasing in India — with the population having little to no means to address this issue. 


Role of air purifiers
To tackle the rising threat of air pollution in indoor settings in urban environments, installing appropriate air purifiers can be impactful. A recent study shows that the efficacy of air purifiers depends highly on having multi-level filters. The air purifiers with 3-stage filters helped to capture up to 99.96% of pollutants with sizes down to 0.3 micrometres to ensure clean and healthy air. This process was further supplemented by innovative features like Anion Generator, Hepa 11 filter and UV light disinfectant — aspects that could provide end-users with clean air in indoor settings and healthy breathing. These features also help air purifiers to safeguard users from foul smells, smoke fumes and PM2.5 particles, directly translating to healthy breathing indoors.


Recent studies also support this notion, revealing air purifiers play an active role in capturing considerable allergens and dust particles to support respiratory health. Clinical studies also stress the usage of HEPA air filters, especially for adult individuals suffering from asthma. This leads to a comprehensive transformation of air quality in indoor settings, particularly in urban environments, leaving a favourable impact on respiratory and cardiovascular health. Air purifiers also help to reduce oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, thus mitigating additional health risks. 


Future outlook
While authorities are actively working towards addressing environmental concerns like air pollution, era-appropriate measures are imperative to protect indoor air quality. In an emerging country like India where industrialisation is still considered at a nascent stage, air pollution is expected to rise and spread to more regions. This phenomenon is leading to a comprehensive growth of the electronics industry, a critical enabler of manufacturing innovative air purifying solutions, especially in indoor areas.