Could air purifiers help to lessen the effects of this growing global issue?

Clearing the Air

A team of Stanford University researchers, with the support of Samsung, conducted a study to examine the effectiveness of air purifiers on health outcomes and indoor PM in the homes of children in a highly polluted city. Their findings were published in the October 2016 edition of the Journal of Asthma.

The study was carried out in 16 households in Fresno, California. Fresno, on the report of the California Air Resources Board, regularly exceeds both California and United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ambient air quality standards for PM, and had earlier been declared the city with the highest level of PM in the US by the American Lung Association.

The study consisted of 17 children who either had a history of asthma, allergic rhinitis, or both. The subjects were allocated to two respective groups.

At the start of the study, the ‘active’ group was provided with Samsung’s AX9000 and AX7000 high-efficacy air purifiers, which were placed in their living rooms and bedrooms. In the homes of the ‘control’ group, meanwhile, no air purifiers were installed.

Researchers monitored the children’s asthma symptom control level, peak expiratory flow rate and nasal symptom severity throughout the 12-week duration of the study.

The Results

During the study period, the scores of the ‘childhood asthma control test’ decreased in the control group compared to the active group, where scores slightly increased. This improvement was observed throughout the study.

Moreover, throughout the study, evening peak expiratory flow rates for children in the active group remained at normal levels—measurements which were, on average, twice as high as those of the control group subjects, who did not have access to the air purifiers.

Mean childhood asthma control scores in the active and control groups*

Mean evening peak flow rates in the active and control groups*

Researchers also found improvements in nasal symptom scores during the 12-week study period in the active group with air purifier intervention.

Furthermore, individual symptom components, which include symptom scores separated individually for congestion, rhinorrhea, nasal itching and sneezing, were measured to have also decreased at week six and 12 in the active group. Air purifier intervention also reduced indoor PM2.5 levels by 43 percent.

In summary, the results of the study show that “indoor PM levels can be reduced in homes by using air purifiers with PM2.5 filters” and that these improvements in indoor air quality “can improve nasal symptom scores.”

These results are in line with a previous Stanford-Samsung study (Available here) that found that air purifiers help to reduce indoor concentrations of microparticles, dust mites and bacteria.

The Samsung AX Series

Samsung’s AX9000 and AX7000, the models used in the most recent study, boast a three-step filtering system that includes a dust filter for large dust particles, a deodorization filter for harmful gas and odor, and a PM2.5 filter for fine dust. The system allows the devices to capture up to 99 percent of even the finest microdust—as small as 0.02 micrometers—in the air.

Going forward, Samsung will spare no effort in continuing to develop innovative products that put more emphasis on consumer health and the environment.

*Data derived from “Effectiveness of Air Purifier on Health Outcomes and Indoor Particles in Homes of Children with Allergic Diseases in Fresno” study.

In fact, many people believe that staying indoors solves the problem, but air inside the home may not be as clean as they think. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 50 percent of all illnesses are caused by or aggravated by polluted indoor air. Experts agree that using an air purifier to clean indoor air is an effective way to get “healthier air.”

Why Do We Need Air Purifiers?

Many of us take air for granted, especially inside our homes. But even there, the danger lurks. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agent of the World Health Organization, classifies particulate matter from air pollution as a “Group 1” carcinogen. These fine-grained carcinogens are so thin—thinner than one-thirtieth of a hair strand’s width—that they bypass our body’s defenses, including the fine hairs that line our airways, and enter our respiratory system.

So, Samsung teamed up with Stanford University to verify the positive effects of Samsung’s air purifiers on the quality of indoor air in 16 different households within the city of Fresno. Fresno had earlier received the dubious distinction of being declared the city with the highest level of particulate matter in the US by the American Lung Association. So residents there were understandably concerned.

Of the 16 households, nine installed Samsung’s air purifiers while seven did not. For 12 weeks, each household’s air quality was analyzed in five-minute intervals, and the results were surprising. As shown in the chart below, there were dramatic reductions in microparticles, dust mites, and even germs and bacteria.

“Any typical home or apartment could see reductions in indoor concentrations of airborne particles when using a highly efficient filter like the one used in the Samsung air purifier. The beneficial effects seen with the filtration system are broadly applicable to all populations across the globe.” said Prof. Kari Nadeau, a professor of pediatrics and medicine in Stanford University.

The Samsung AX Series

Not surprisingly, Samsung’s AX series is getting a lot of attention. It boasts a five-step purification system that captures up to 99 percent of even the finest microdust, as small as 0.02 micrometers, in the air. For illustration, that’s about 50,000 times smaller than a pencil point.

The pre-filter absorbs coarser particles in the air such as visible dust and pet hair. The second “E-Charger” releases static electricity, electrically charging ultrafine dust particles so that they are encouraged to float towards the filter. The third filter uses charcoal’s absorptive powers to eliminate bad odors and harmful gases like formaldehyde. The fourth, the PM2.5 Filter—the most intricate filter*—captures up to 99 percent of ultrafine particulates invisible to the naked eye.

Because the dust particles line up according to their electrical charge, allowing them to be efficiently collected together, there is less clogging and the filter life is extended up to two times. Virus Doctor completes the five-step purification system by reducing up to 99 percent of airborne microorganisms.

Samsung’s upgraded 2016 air purifiers also have several convenient features, such as its Air Intelligent Display that measures and displays levels of particulates in the air. This way, the user can easily recognize how clean the surrounding air is and monitor the state of operation.

Wi-fi control is another feature available on relevant models. In the same way that smart air conditioners can be turned on before the user comes home, the app allows users to control the connected air purifier anytime, anywhere. A real-time filter monitor shows, on the app, the right time to replace filters.

The AX7000 was designed for larger homes and offices around 90 square meters, the AX5000 for smaller spaces up to 60 square meters, and the AX3000 for individual rooms up to 40 square meters. To learn more about Samsung Electronics and the complete AX series lineup, please visit www.samsung.com.

Additionally, many Samsung air conditioners have built-in air purifying features. For more on Samsung’s air conditioners, please visit

http://www.samsung.com/levant/consumer/home-appliances/air-conditioners/.

*Not included in the AX3000 model