What is PECO Technology
Air purifiers and purification devices for your indoor air has developed and advanced drastically from the original air purifying technologies that have been used years prior. The original air purifier technologies included carbon, ozone, and ionizers that were primarily used in most air purifiers within the market. These technologies worked for some time, as they were the best options available for purifying your indoor air, but as time progressed new and innovative air purifier technologies emerged that left these options both inadequate and, in some respects, potentially harmful to human health upon exposure.
Now the air purifier market offers more than just the standard or typical technologies i.e. carbon, ozone, ionizers. One of the new emerging technologies in air purification that has caught the attention and interest of consumers is the patented PECO technology utilized by a popular new air purifier.
What is the PECO process and is this technology an efficient method for air purification of an array of airborne contaminants?
PECO Technology vs EnviroKlenz Technology
The PECO technology, which stands for Photo Electrochemical Oxidation, works through a catalytic reaction in which photons of light that have energy more than the bandgap of a photocatalyst excite the photocatalyst which produces hydroxyl free radicals in the presence of water molecules in the air. These hydroxyl free radicals that are released into the air from the PECO technology are extremely potent oxidizers, which oxidize organics and microorganisms in the air. During the oxidation process, however, it creates a byproduct of unknown trace minerals that than releases into the air and is susceptible to exposure and inhalation of these byproducts.
In comparison, the EnviroKlenz technology has been proven to be a highly efficient ‘adsorptive neutralizer’ that focuses on a goal of filtering and purifying the air without the use of chemicals or byproducts created from this filtration. EnviroKlenz’s technology is a patented earth mineral purifying process that is able to upon contact contain or neutralize chemicals, chemical odors, and other airborne contaminants in the air.
The EnviroKlenz technology has been tested and certified for a broad spectrum of chemical pollutant mitigation including the mitigating of chemical warfare agents (CWAs). The technology has been tested by the following highly regarded laboratories:
- Battelle Memorial Institute
- Edgewood Chemical Biological Command (ECBC)
- Coal Mines Technical Services
- Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon (OPCW)
Other new emerging technologies such as PECO have also undergone testing that they include on the manufacturer’s website. However, skepticism and further testing has shown that this technology may contain flaws in relation to effectiveness against specific airborne contaminants.
EnviroKlenz performed and conducted a series of tests to analyze the effectiveness of different air purifiers and air purifier technologies against specific airborne chemicals that are found in personal indoor environments.
The results of this testing can be found down below.
Air Purifier Comparison Testing Against Formaldehyde
In the study against formaldehyde, the IQAir was able to reduce the compound the fastest from the chamber due to having a much higher loading of media. The MoleKule did not have much impact on the formaldehyde in this study. The BlueAir HEPA media and bare carbon filter did show some physical absorption of formaldehyde, but physical absorption is very prone to releasing whatever it may have absorbed over time since there is no chemical interaction.
The EnviroKlenz Air Purifier does actively react with the formaldehyde through adsorption and polymerization on the oxide surface of the EnviroKlenz media.
Air Purifier Comparison Testing Against a Nitrogen Compound (Ammonia)
In this chamber study, ammonia was released in an environmental chamber under ambient conditions. The various air systems and technologies were remotely controlled to not disturb the environment. The EnviroKlenz Air Purifier rapidly adsorbed the ammonia gas from the air. The IQAir system which utilizes a significant amount of an activated carbon did remove the ammonia from the air, but since carbon is not reactive, there is the potential for it to be released back to the atmosphere with changes in temperature, pressure, and or humidity levels. The bare carbon filter had minimal absorption of the ammonia. The Blue Air purifier utilizes HEPA filtration and only some physical absorption of the ammonia on the HEPA filter media was observed.
The PECO system did not remove or breakdown the hydrogen sulfide in the test.
Air Purifier Comparison Testing Against Particulate Removal
EnviroKlenz Air Purifier uses a HEPA filter that has more square feet of media when compared to the ones used in the IQAir and the BlueAir. The MoleKule does not have a HEPA filter, so the square feet of the prefilter was used for this comparison. The prefilter, in addition to the having fewer square feet of media, is also significantly less efficient at removing particulates when compared to HEPA or better filters of the EnviroKlenz, IQAir and BlueAir systems.
The EnviroKlenz Air Purifier has the highest amount of particulate matter filter media with over 56 square feet, IQ Air has approximately 50 square feet, Blue Air approximately 28 square feet, and the MoleKule particle filter has around 3 square feet of particulate filter media. The more square feet of particulate matter media results in a filter that can capture more particulate matter before needing to be changed.
The Cleanest Air
Your Home Has Ever Had.
EnviroKlenz Mobile Air System
(Standard Model)
$699
EnviroKlenz Mobile Air System
(UV-C Model)
$799