When inhaled, ozone can cause serious harm to the lungs. It can lead to chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and throat irritation. Ozone can also worsen chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma, and weaken the body's ability to fight off respiratory infections. At street level, a high concentration of ozone is toxic to plants and animals.
In humans, ozone can irritate the nasal passages, cause nausea, and prolonged exposure can lead to lung inflammation. The Environmental Protection Agency states that some UV air purifiers emit ozone gas, which can cause breathing difficulties, particularly in people with asthma. The effectiveness of UV light in sterilizing caused all Moscow metro trains to be disinfected with UV light when COVID-19 became a threat last spring. This gave rise to an entire market dedicated to the production of “ozone” or charged air purifiers.
These home air purifiers are designed to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission in public spaces. UVC lamps are unlikely to cause damage, so the best way to avoid UV radiation is to stay away from UVB and UVA lights. There are different types available, and those that use UV light capture and destroy viruses and bacteria present in the air. UV light is a tried and trusted method that can be an effective and safe alternative to combat the coronavirus pandemic if properly applied.
UV air purifiers utilize the power of UV-C light to inactivate airborne viruses and bacteria, altering or damaging their DNA. To be effective, a UV air purifier must be equipped with the appropriate technology and produce UV light at a specific wavelength and intensity to inactivate any virus or bacteria.
