Over the course of the last month, we’ve written several articles about air purifiers we believe can reduce the risk of coronavirus in the home. While there are no guarantees when it comes to this novel virus, we’ve been reviewing the units we sell in order to find the best options for affording yourself and your family some measure of protection at home. In this post, we’ll be taking a look at the Field Controls TRIO, a medical-grade air purifier that’s a long-standing favorite here at US Air Purifiers.
What Makes the Field Controls TRIO a Candidate for COVID-19 Protection?
To start with, the TRIO features a hospital-grade HEPA air filter as one of its several filtration stages. As we’ve discussed in previous posts, HEPA filters can capture incredibly tiny particles, including larger viruses, through a process known as diffusion, in which these particles become entangled in filter fibers. The CDC also recommends HEPA filtration for use in facilities dealing with COVID-19 patients.
Beyond these HEPA capabilities, though, the Field Controls TRIO also has other mechanisms for targeting bacteria and viruses. Specifically, the TRIO makes use of a UV germicidal lamp. The application of ultraviolet light is a proven mechanism for deactivating viruses and bacteria, as the light disrupts chemical bonds in their DNA structures.
The TRIO doesn’t stop there. In this particular air purifier’s UV system, a phenomenon called photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) is leveraged. In PCO systems, UV light is passed through a chemical photocatalyst, in this case titanium dioxide. The application of ultraviolet light to such a catalyst generates hydroxyl radicals, which are oxidizing in nature. When these radicals come into contact with bacteria, viruses and other biologicals being pulled through the air purifier, they are ultimately destroyed by them.
Other Air Purifiers for Coronavirus Protection
As we noted earlier, this is one of several articles we’ve put together about air purifiers that may be useful in reducing the coronavirus load in your home air. Below, you’ll find links to other articles in this series, organized by brand:
As always, it’s important to remember that the COVID-19 coronavirus spreads both through airborne transmission and through contact with contaminated surfaces. While the use of a high-quality air purifier may help to reduce the concentration of the virus in the air, it will not be able to capture the viruses attached to contaminated surfaces. As such, use of an air purifier should always be combined with other measures, including rigorous social distancing, hand sanitizing and thorough disinfection of potentially contaminated surfaces. For a full rundown of the steps you should be taking to keep yourself and your family safe, we strongly encourage all of our readers to visit the CDC’s official coronavirus prevention page and to follow the guidelines discussed there.