| Today, air purifiers are all the craze. Every allergy | | | | filter out multiple toxins. |
| sufferer, asthmatic and health nut in the world | | | | But it wasn't until World War II when we got |
| has one, but believe it or not, there was a time | | | | some of the greatest advancements in air filter |
| when we didn't have air purifiers. We simply | | | | systems. This came with the Manhattan Project. |
| breathed the air that was in our homes and | | | | This was a project that got scientists together |
| somehow managed to survive. So when did this | | | | from all around to work on a breathing device |
| craze actually begin? How did it start? | | | | that would protect soldiers from the atomic |
| Types of air purification have actually been around | | | | bomb. While that was actually laughable in itself, it |
| for over 200 years in some form or another, | | | | did end up in advancements that helped combat |
| though most people don't realize it. The truth is, | | | | chlorine gas, mustard gas and flame throwers. A |
| since the early 1800s, scientists have been trying | | | | few years later a plague in Africa made scientists |
| to find ways to make our air cleaner, long before | | | | aware of the need for protection against |
| the industrial revolution ever hit and California | | | | chemicals, perfumes, building materials, pesticides, |
| began to look like an outdoor barbecue on a high | | | | dust mites, pollen and food allergens. This started |
| flame. | | | | a string of air purification devices being developed. |
| To kick this technology off, in the early 1800s | | | | In spite of all this, it wasn't until the 1980s that |
| John and Charles Dean developed a mask for fire | | | | the clean air craze really took off. The concept of |
| fighters. This mask allowed them to charge into | | | | a dust free environment was all the rage, practical |
| burning buildings without having to worry about | | | | or not. According to studies, HEPA filters, which |
| being overcome by smoke fumes from the fire. | | | | were the biggest rage of the era, filtered out |
| Around that same time, masks were also made | | | | 99.7% of all the allergens in the air and all micron |
| for divers and coal miners who were constantly | | | | offenders of size 0.3 and larger. But |
| exposed to dangerous air, but it wasn't until the | | | | advancements didn't stop there. Newer devices, |
| 1850s that the first gas mask was developed by | | | | such as Nebulizers, were able to filter out |
| John Stenhouse. The mask worked on a charcoal | | | | offenders of size 0.1 and larger and still keep the |
| based filter design, very similar to some of the air | | | | 99.7% filter level. |
| purifiers today. These original masks worked on | | | | Over the years, the number of devices used for |
| the principal of filtering out what they called | | | | filtering the air has grown astronomically. Just do |
| "enemies" by using a system called High Efficiency | | | | an Internet search on the different types and |
| Particulate Air or HEPA. Yes, the same HEPA filter | | | | brands of air purifiers. There are literally hundreds |
| systems we can buy today. Once they added | | | | of them. |
| charcoal to this system it made a dramatic | | | | All this from a simple mask designed for fire |
| improvement because the charcoal was able to | | | | fighters. Who would have ever guessed? |
