11 replies to this topic

[Smitty 123]

Recently came across this article about car exhaust fumes and it freaked me out a little bit: http://online.wsj.co...0381790904.html

We live on a busy street and there's enough traffic that I've noticed our place being dirtier than places I've lived in the past. I'm concerned about the health impact on myself and my family. Unfortunately, we're not in a financial position to move yet but we could make some small investments to counteract the effects of this. I'm wondering (a) whether this is indeed as harmful as the article implied and (b) what we should best do about it?

[Adaptogen]

You could buy some(or dozens) of indoor house plants for naturally cleaner air.

I wouldn't be too worried, you should just be thankful you don't live somewhere like mainland china where the smog is visible from space.

Edited by Adaptogen, 04 February 2013 - 08:15 AM.

[niner]

You could buy some(or dozens) of indoor house plants for naturally cleaner air.

I wouldn't be too worried, you should just be thankful you don't live somewhere like mainland china where the smog is visible from space.

Plants are nice to have around, but I don't think they do anything for particulate pollution. I and several other people here have this HEPA air filter, which is super quiet. I paid about 300 bucks for it. If you drive an expensive car, you probably have a cabin air filter. If not, the next best thing would be to run the AC, probably. Particulates should get trapped on the wet condenser. I guess it's never a good idea to be TOO worried, but I think there's some pretty compelling data there. It's a good argument against traditional diesel vehicles, although there are some (very expensive) "clean" diesels that rival gas engines in particulate production. Also a good argument against the widespread use by municipalities of unnecessary stop signs, and an argument for the development of smart traffic signals that sense the presence of oncoming vehicles and react non-stupidly. Every time a car stops and accelerates back up to speed, it creates a bazillion times as much pollution as one that maintains a constant speed.

[sthira]

I and several other people here have this HEPA air filter, which is super quiet. I paid about 300 bucks for it.

Based on niner's recommendation I bought one of these and feel like it's quite good. I'm an urban downtown dweller, too, and it has kept my place cleaner. It also doubles as a very nice white noise maker at night during sleep. Filters are kinda pricy, tho.

[niner]

I and several other people here have this HEPA air filter, which is super quiet. I paid about 300 bucks for it.

Based on niner's recommendation I bought one of these and feel like it's quite good. I'm an urban downtown dweller, too, and it has kept my place cleaner. It also doubles as a very nice white noise maker at night during sleep. Filters are kinda pricy, tho.

You probably have better hearing than I do. Or maybe you have it in the full speed mode. I keep mine in the night mode which is really quiet. If I have a power outage, the filter will stay off until I restart it. Sometimes I don't notice it's off for a couple days because it sounds the same as when it's on, or very nearly so. I taped a piece of cardboard over the garish LEDs so it wouldn't light up my room at night. The filters are expensive, but I've solved that problem by not replacing them... My rationalization is that probably only the charcoal is used up, but it's still catching particulates. There's a washable part to it, which I do clean.

I forgot to mention a cheaper option: You can get a high MERV filter for your regular HVAC system. Standard furnace filters won't stop anything smaller than a parakeet.

[Logic]

Air Ionizer with hepa filter?
You get ones that plug into cars too.
http://en.wikipedia....iki/Air_ioniser

[phix]

I wonder if taking short intermittent breaks (IB) off the polluted area would have a significant beneficial effect with respect to a continuous exposure (CE). Say you can expend one hour a day in the woods, which you could use for doing some exercise. Would the benefit from that be greater than what you would directly infer from a lower total time exposure? Said another way, would 24 days of the IB regimen be any better than 23 days of CE? My intuition would favor a positive answer since the breaks may give your body the chance to undo some of the damage, build up defenses, etc. I am not sure though of the magnitude of the effect.

 

Another more common regimen would be of course having the weekends away in some clean area. That involves a greater percentage of time away so it may be advisable even if only for that reason. 

[Logic]

7 Plants That Purify Indoor Air

http://www.rodalesor...rify-indoor-air

[proileri]

 

 I taped a piece of cardboard over the garish LEDs so it wouldn't light up my room at night. The filters are expensive, but I've solved that problem by not replacing them... My rationalization is that probably only the charcoal is used up, but it's still catching particulates. There's a washable part to it, which I do clean.

 

 

Laughs, I have the same thing with my air cleaner, had to tape up the LEDs. I love how they have a 'quiet night mode' but then there's half a dozen super bright blue LEDs on the panel. I also avoid replacing the HEPA filter - I actually just gently vacuum it on regular basis with my HEPA rated vacuum cleaner, as it's non-washable.

 

Anyways, you can also buy cheaper versions of the air cleaner, I think the basic ones are about $100, and their replacement filters are also cheaper. 

 

If you have an apartment without central HVAC, you could always rig one of the smaller HEPA filters into any incoming air duct, maybe with a cheap duct blower. Should be able to get the parts for less than 50 bucks.   

[phix]

Are those filters effective against common toxic gases like nitrogen dioxide? 

 

The problem anyway with air purifiers is that they are not very convenient to carry around, and they are pretty much useless in the open air, when you may be directly exposed to the traffic fumes and other pollution sources. Respirators are more suitable to use on the go, although you could attract unwanted attention and get some odd looks. I have seen them being used in the city on some rare occasions, presumably due to allergies or other health conditions. 

 

I have not seen much discussion about these masks in these forums. They could come in handy also in case of an emergency. I just found this thread, but the OP was not very successful in stirring up debate. Granted, he goes a bit extreme, but aren't we all around here some kind of outliers to the (statistically) normal population and their conventional mindset?

[proileri]

 

Are those filters effective against common toxic gases like nitrogen dioxide? 

 

The problem anyway with air purifiers is that they are not very convenient to carry around, and they are pretty much useless in the open air, when you may be directly exposed to the traffic fumes and other pollution sources. Respirators are more suitable to use on the go, although you could attract unwanted attention and get some odd looks. I have seen them being used in the city on some rare occasions, presumably due to allergies or other health conditions. 

 

I have not seen much discussion about these masks in these forums. They could come in handy also in case of an emergency. I just found this thread, but the OP was not very successful in stirring up debate. Granted, he goes a bit extreme, but aren't we all around here some kind of outliers to the (statistically) normal population and their conventional mindset?

 

 

The floor standing air purifiers are probably not super effective against gases, but those air purifiers (and masks) that have active carbon filtration should neutralise some gases as well. Most of them do have active carbon, but they need to be replaced every few months or so, which costs some money. However, even without the carbon filters, the HEPA filters do catch some of the fine particles produced by traffic.  

 

I have one of those respirator masks that I sometimes use during the pollen season. They seem to be sold at cycling stores etc., some of them have active carbon filters and I've even seen some that are made to look like scarfs (Respro Bandit), so that they are more city friendly.    

[Logic]

I think a activated charcoal is very important.

Note that charcoal is activated by making a carbon source red hot.  ie: all charcoal is activated.
If you combine that with a properly designed air ionizer I think you are set.

The anode has to be donut shaped, not just a circular  hole in a plate.
Its all about charge density if you want to avoid Ozone IMHO.