Negative ions help freshen and purify the air by causing allergens such as pollen, mold spores, dust, and animal dander floating in the air (which have either a neutral or a positive charge) to be attracted to and stick to each other, forming 'clumps' (because opposite charges attract). These clumps of particles then become heavy enough so that gravity can pull them down to the floor, where they can be vacuumed up, rather than staying in suspension where they can be breathed in and cause allergic reactions.
Depression & Mood
Negative ions also have been shown to help lift mood, alleviate depression and seasonal affective disorder (winter depression or SAD). There is even a patent by a prominent researcher and institution for the treatment of depression with negative ions.
Because there is no fan (like in filter-type air filters or room air purifiers), the dust on floors and tables is not stirred up, and so the air in a room with a negative ionizer in use can become exceedingly free of dust and pollen.
Often, when a negative ionizer is in use, the dust particles than can normally be seen in a sunbeam shining in the window are either partially or totally gone.
Negative ionization of the air does a superb job of eliminating most tiny particles that float in the air. They are normally suspended in the air (even when the air in the room seems calm) just by the normal convective air currents. You've seen dust floating in a beam of sunlight shining in the window, haven't you? Well, when a high-density negative ionizer (such as our IG-133- series models) is in operation in the room, you see very little (if any) of that. It's really quite impressive to experience. That is the reason they can help people with allergies: they help remove dust, pollen, mold spores, and other allergens from the air. Of course, if you have a window open on a windy day and the pollen is blowing in, no negative ionizer will clear the air quickly enough to help anyone.
Ionized room air does not have to pass through a filter or be circulated by a fan to be cleaned. The negative ions generated by the ionizer emanate from the unit throughout the room and cause dust, pollen, mold spores, pet dander, etc. to clump together and drop out of the air. In a filter-type purifier with a fan or blower, only the air that goes through the filter can be cleaned. And even then, the tiniest particles still can flow through the filter. These tiny particulates can be better removed by ionization than filtering, even HEPA filters.
High levels of negative ions ...
Are desirable. They're naturally found in places like the beach, in the mountains, in the country, in pine forests, near waterfalls, and many other places that people like to be -- all the places that we feel good after we visit them.
The evaporation of water can produce a moderate amount of negative air ions; the small positive charges are left behind in the water.
High levels of Positive ions ...
Are undesirable. They're found:
- Indoors where a TV or computer monitor (CRT) is operating
- Indoors and outdoors where warm, dry winds blow
- Wherever the air is polluted. Air pollution uses up negative ions
- Air is stripped of electrons as it flows through ductwork, creating unwanted positive ions
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