Medical-grade air purifiers are becoming more and more popular.
Since the pandemic, these devices that were only common in medical or clinic structures are now seen in offices, professional studios, and also in people’s houses. But what are medical-grade air purifiers?
Key Takeaways
- Medical-graded air purifiers need to respond to certain standards that, in the US, are established by the FDA.
- Medical-grade air purifiers must capture at least 99.99% of air particulates.
- Not even H13 HEPA filters, the best air filters in circulation, are capable of removing 99,99% of particles.
Are All Air Purifiers Medical-Graded?
Despite many people thinking that air purifiers are all medical-graded, this isn’t true.
In fact, not every air purifier has the same effectiveness (there is a reason why there is such a big difference in pricing between one model from another, after all!)
Medical graded air purifiers need to respond to certain standards that, in the US; are established by the FDA. 1
Also Read: How To Tell If An Air Purifier Is Working?
What Are Medical-Grade Air Purifier Standards?
According to the FDA, medical-grade air purifiers must capture at least 99.99% of air particulates.
These are the details of FDA recommendations:
- Manufacturers need to evaluate or perform the following:
- Demonstration that the device is actually effective in reducing the number of particles in the air.
- If the air purifier is meant to be used against bacteria, tests are run to demonstrate that the device can kill gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria species.
- If the air purifier is meant to be used against COVID, tests are run to demonstrate that the filters are effective against the specific virus.
- ozone generation levels test are also run because the maximum acceptable level of ozone per 21 CFR 801.415
- If the air purifier is meant to be used in a sterile environment where there is a controlled airflow, tests need to be run to address possible site contamination or to verify the presence/absence of turbulent airflow. 2
Most Common Types Of Medical-Grade Air Purifiers
The most common types of medical-grade air purifiers are equipped with HEPA filters. HEPA filters are the most effective known air filters, especially the H13 standard.
While other HEPA filters can capture up to 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns in size, H13 HEPA filters can trap 99.95% of particles that are 0.1 microns in size. because they can capture smaller particles, H13 filters are considered more effective.
As you can see 99.95% of particles don’t reach the 99.99% that the FDA recommends so they shouldn’t be medical-grade.
When you see that the HEPA H13 air purifier is medical grade, the device certainly can count on an additional filter technology that works with the first. It is usually UV filters.
Also Read: How Does An Air Purifier Work?
Conclusion
Sometimes the medical-grade label is just put there to increase the price of an air purifier.
When purchasing an air purifier, do not stop at the medical-grade label, but go deeper and try to understand what kind of air purification system the device uses.
Always remember that not even H13 HEPA filters, the best air filters in circulation, are capable of removing 99,99% of particles, so always check the details to find out how a medical-grade labeled air purifier is capable of removing such a high percentage of air particulates.
Also Read: 6 Best Homedics Air Purifier For You
FAQ’s
Is HEPA filter a medical grade filter?
H13 and H14 can remove 99.995% particles of 0.2 microns and are the best medical grade filters.
How is HEPA different from True HEPA?
The True HEPA filter conforms to the standard set by DOE completely. Whereas, HEPA filters have the highest efficiency.
Can air purifiers protect from Covid?
Purifiers with HVAC can help immensely reduce the contaminants and germs that carry the virus. So yes, it can help in preventing Covid to some extent.
Kylie has been studying air purifiers for the last 20 years and is an expert in the field. She tests and reviews different air purifiers, letting people know they are worth buying. Kylie writes blogs about the latest air purifiers, their features, health benefits, and more. When she’s not writing or spending time with her granddaughter, Kylie can be found testing new air purifiers to see how they perform.
ARTICLE SOURCES
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- https://www.simpurelife.com/blogs/blogs/what-is-a-medical-grade-air-purifier#:~:text=At%20present%2C%20there%20are%20relatively,are%20much%20smaller%20than%202.5.[↩]
- https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/medical-grade-air-purifier/#:~:text=Medical%20Grade%20Air%20Purifier%20Standards&text=Under%20the%20FDA%20standards%2C%20the,of%20SARS%2DCOV%2D2.[↩]