Can Blueair systems trap
airborne bacteria?
The answer is a qualified "yes."
No air filtration system is 100% effective at removing 100% of all
bacteria and viruses. However, Blueair's combination of mechanical
and active electrostatic filtration provides exceptionally high
levels of protection. Our HEPASilent™ technology traps and
removes 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.1 micron.
However, because bacteria may not behave in exactly the same way
as non-living particles in the context of filtration,
bacteria-specific tests of Blueair systems are currently underway.
Airborne bacteria (and viruses) are a common source of respiratory
infection and a particular threat to infants, the elderly and
those with compromised immune or cardiovascular systems, including
people with allergies, asthma, AIDS and heart disease. Some
serious infectious diseases are spread through airborne bacteria
or viruses, including whooping cough, meningitis and anthrax.
How large are the bacteria and viruses that threaten human health?
According to the Pennsylvania State University Department of
Aerobiological Engineering airborne pathogens database,
health-threatening bacteria and viruses range in size from .018
micron to as large as 1.325 microns.
Airborne pathogens larger than .1 micron include:
- chickenpox virus (Varicella
zoster) at 0.12 to 0.2 micron
- smallpox virus (Poxvirus
variola) at 0.14 to 0.3 micron
- whooping cough bacteria (Bordetella
pertussis) at 0.2 to 0.3 micron
- pneumonia bacteria (Mycoplasma
pneumoniae) at 0.2 to 0.3 micron
- bronchitis bacteria (Chlamydia
pneumoniae) at 0.2 to 0.4 micron
- meningitis bacteria (Haemophilus
influenzae) at 0.2 to 0.3 micron
- tuberculosis bacteria
(Mycobacterium tuberculosis) at 0.2 to 0.6 micron
- diphtheria bacteria (Corynebacteria
diphtheria) at 0.3 to 0.8 micron
- scarlet fever bacteria
(Streptococcus pyogenes) at 0.6 to 1.0 micron
- otitis media bacteria
(Streptococcus pneumoniae) at 0.8 to 1.0 micron
- anthrax bacteria (Bacillus
anthracis) at 1.0 to 1.25 microns
While these bacteria and viruses
fall within the size range of particles a Blueair system can trap,
it is important to remember that these pathogens are living
things. When it comes to filtration, bacteria and viruses have not
been proven to behave in exactly the same way as non-living
particles. Some pathogens can move on their own, and some have
slimy coatings that may affect a filter's ability to capture them.
Furthermore, home air cleaners may not always be used under ideal
conditions (24 hours per day, in a sealed room appropriate to the
unit's tested air volume capacity). All of these variables may
affect any system's ability to filter bacteria and viruses.
We will not lead you to believe that Blueair systems are proven
effective specifically for bacteria at this time. We urge you to
ask for lab test results from any manufacturer that makes such a
claim. We know of no home air cleaner tested specifically for
bacteria or viruses, rather than for general particle filtration.
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