What are ionizers and other ozone-generating air cleaners?
Ion generators act by charging the particles in a room so that they are attracted to walls, floors, tabletops, draperies, occupants, etc. Abrasion can result in these particles being resuspended into the air. In some cases these devices contain a collector to attract the charged particles back to the unit. While ion generators may remove small particles (e.g., those in tobacco smoke) from the indoor air, they do not remove gases or odors, and may be relatively ineffective in removing large particles such as pollen and house dust allergens. Although some have suggested that these devices provide a benefit by rectifying a hypothesized ion imbalance, no controlled studies have confirmed this effect. EPA has published a document titled “Residential Air Cleaning Devices: A Summary of Available Information” that provides information on the effectiveness of air cleaners. General information concerning ionizers is available by contacting the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Information line at (800) 4
