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When individuals consider air purifiers, their first thought generally has to do with allergies, and a number of those are tough to manage. But for someone with multiple chemical sensitivities, the job of cleaning the air they breathe is much more complicated even than that.

Multiple chemical sensitivity, or MCS, arises when a person has had either a severe and rather unanticipated exposure to poisonous chemicals, or else extended exposure to something less extreme. So a big chemical spill from a nearby train derailment may be an initial cause, while the illness could also arise from something like continued work with pungent cleaning supplies.

Once this sensitivity has been activated, it spreads to include other irritants as well. So the person could then become sensitive to things like paint fumes, the smells from new furniture and off-gassing from carpets. The sensitivity then starts to manifest itself in such symptoms as loss of memory or concentration, aching limbs, and irritation of the skin, eyes, and respiratory system, among others. For some reason yet undiscovered, this type of condition affects more women than men, though it can transpire for both.

The thing to remember when hunting for an air purifier to help with MCS is that it primarily has to have the ability to grab those bothersome chemicals out of the air. So purifiers such as those with a HEPA filter, while they are likely to be most effective for allergy-based concerns, would not be as beneficial for chemical sensitivities.

One effective system for dealing with chemicals is an activated carbon filter. This performs at the molecular level, to transform gaseous chemical molecules into a solid form, and then catch them in the carbon. But as the Allergy Consumer Review website notes, particular varieties of carbon filters are more effective than others. The site recommends that shoppers steer clear of purifiers that use carbon pads, or other low carbon filters. The Allergy Consumer Review also points out that coconut-based carbon filters may result in other allergies, and must also be avoided if possible.

Even a granular carbon filter cannot contend with every chemical; for example, it does not work with formaldehyde or hydrogen sulfide. So most effectively purifiers combine activated carbon with a chemically active compound of aluminum oxide.

The next problem faced by MCS sufferers is that the very chemicals they\’re so sensitive to are frequently what goes into manufacturing the air purifiers themselves. Even the fan motors have to be varnish free. And in the passageway the air takes as it passes through the purifier, it needs to pass the fan before it goes through the gas filter, instead of the other way around. If the fan is positioned first, then the filter can still get rid of the chemicals that it and the motor produce.

It is exceedingly tough for someone with MCS to find an air purifier that does not contain or generate the very chemicals it is supposed to help with. But the Allergy Consumer Review site does recommend the IQAir GC Series of purifiers as the best available alternative.

There are different technologies available in air cleaners these days, from ionic air purifiers to the UV air purifier. Learn how to get the the right model for your needs at Home Air Purifiers: The Facts.

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