Air Purifier To Remove Cigarette Smoke – Cigarette smoke is one of the most dangerous indoor air pollutants. Indoor air quality, in general, is 2-5 times poorer than outdoor air quality. In modern urban settings, people spend more than 90% of their time indoors. Some of the major indoor air pollutants are mould, pollen, tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, pesticides, VOCs, gases like radon, and carbon monoxide. Cigarette smoke is one of the main sources of indoor air pollution. Continuously smoking in an enclosed space can make the indoor air quality poorer multi-folds. Cigarette smoke contains some of the most lethal chemicals for the human body i.e. Nicotine, Hydrogen Cyanide, Formaldehyde, Lead, Arsenic, Ammonia, Benzene, Polonium, Carbon Monoxide, Polycyclic Aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), etc. The general solution to remove the cigarette/tobacco smell is the use of air fresheners and ensuring proper ventilation. In recent times, with the advancement in air purification technologies, the use of air purifiers is finding acceptance among the population. The Big question, however, remains that is cigarette smoke dangerous for indoor air quality and human health?
Cigarette Smoking-A Silent Killer
Smoking causes over 8 million premature deaths every year (7 million + are direct tobacco consumers, and 1.2 million + are exposed to second-hand smoke). It means that 1 in 7 deaths can be attributed to smoking. Moreover, smoking also causes indirect deaths by causing heart diseases and various types of cancers. Globally, almost 1 in 5 cancer deaths are caused due to smoking. This is larger than the death toll caused by terrorism. On average, men account for more death than their female counterparts.
The effect of smoking can be devastating in the long run. The average life expectancy of a regular smoker is 10 years lower than that of a non-smoker. In the past 30 years alone, more than 200 million people have died from smoking. Going by the current trends and patterns it is expected that tobacco may kill about 1 billion people in this century.
Second-Hand Smoke, How Dangerous is it?
Second-hand smoke leads to passive smoking which is deemed much more dangerous. Out of over 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least 250 are known to be harmful. These dangerous chemical compounds can clog the blood vessels leading to a range of pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Most of us are not even aware of the dangers we are putting the people around while lighting the stick. Second-hand smoke is particularly harmful to children and senior citizens.
As a responsible person, smoking should be carried out in an isolated place that poses no dangers to the person in the vicinity. Smoking should be especially avoided when you are at home with your family.
How To Eliminate Cigarette Smoke From Inside An Apartment?
Ensure Proper Ventilation: Properly ventilated space allows the cigarette smoke to escape easily as the fresh air enters the room or an apartment. It may seem repetitive, but an open area with good ventilation ensures that there is a continuous supply of fresh air inside the living area. Well-ventilated space ensures that air is not stale which can be a breeding ground for harmful pollutants including some deadly microbes. Â The ideal amount of fresh air for proper ventilation can be calculated from the below-mentioned formula:
Method 1 – Air change rate
Quantity of fresh air required (L/s) = (Air change rate (changes per hour)*Room volume (m3)*1000)/3600
Note: 1000/3600 is required to bring m3/hour to L/s
Method 2- Known occupancy
Quantity of air (L/s) = Known occupancy rate*Rate/person (L/s)
The recommended air change rate per hour by ASHARE has been mentioned in the table below-
Location | Air Changes per hour | Location | Air Changes per hour |
Homes & Residences | 1-2 | Schools | 5-6 |
Hotel Rooms | 1-2 | Sports Facilities | 4-8 |
Offices | 2-3 | Restaurants | 6-8 |
Retail Shops | 2-3 | Shopping Centres | 6-10 |
Use Of Air Purifier For Removing Cigarette Smoke and Its Odour
An Air purifier for a room has emerged as an interesting option for removing the smoke from the interiors. Merely opening doors and windows does not completely solve the problem of odour. An advanced air purifier equipped with an activated carbon filter helps in eliminating the problem of second-hand smoke. The air purification system works by pulling indoor air, cleaning it, and afterward recirculating it back into the room. The stale and polluted air pulled inside the air purifier is eliminated from all the chemicals and smoke. The air purifier helps not only in minimizing the effects of second-hand smoke but also controls the odour that is pervasive in a smoking area.
Although many air purifiers in the market claim to solve the problem of second-hand smoke and the odour associated with it but very few are effective in the actual scenario. O2Cure Hulk Air purifier is one of the better devices to eliminate the effect of second-hand smoke in an apartment or room. Equipped with a 6-stage filtration (Cold catalyst filter, Activated carbon filter, Anti-bacterial filter, HEPA Filter, Ultraviolet sterilize light, and anion purification,) it can efficiently remove second-hand smoke from the enclosed environment.