Asbestos awareness for healthy lung month and lung health day
What do you think of when you think of October? Changing leaves? Halloween? Crisp air? How about Healthy Lung Month? Granted, it may not have been your first association, but lung health is certainly something to be aware of. There’s even a special day within Lung Health month, Lung Health Day on October 28th.
To mark the month, and day, Airmega has teamed up with the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance to learn more about hazards to our lungs that are living in the air we breathe and to provide tips on how we can all keep our lungs safe.
Many of these hazards can affect your health in a variety of different ways. Almost every home contains irritants like dust, allergens, pet dander, cigarette smoke, and fungus. These toxins can, over time, can affect lung health, lead to respiratory illnesses or irritate chronic lung diseases like asthma.
With all the time we spend indoors, think about all the time we spend breathing in indoor air. Dust, allergens, fungi and pet dander are very common, but are they affecting our health? According to a recent study conducted in over 1,200 U.S. homes, the dust found from those homes contained on average more than 5,000 species of bacteria and 2,000 species of fungi. Breathing in dust or mould can cause allergic reactions, infections, increase asthma symptoms and even be a predecessor for cancer as exposure increases.
In addition, there are lesser known dangers that could be living in your homes such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and asbestos. We’ve covered VOCs here on the Airmega blog, but we have not gone into asbestos and its effects on lung health. While many people have heard of the carcinogen, some people may not know exactly what it is or its effects.
Asbestos is a naturally-occurring building material that was commonly used for its strength and ability to withstand high temperatures. Much because of its strength and flame resistance, it was used extensively in the construction of homes, factories, and schools into the mid 1980s. Then, after a link to lung cancer and other illnesses was established, regulators sought to manage the material, all but eliminating its use in construction. Unfortunately, a total asbestos ban is still not in place today and many older homes have a high chance of containing asbestos.
Found in insulation, ceilings, attics, siding, roofing, pipes, boilers, and under floors, asbestos can become damaged or disturbed as structures wear down over time and release fibers into the air. When these fibers are inhaled or ingested, they can become lodged in the lining of the lungs, which can lead to the cancer growth of pleural mesothelioma. This disease is extremely deadly, as its symptoms often go undetected.
When dealing with a toxin like asbestos, it is important to contact a licensed inspector to determine if the asbestos in your home is a health risk. If so, it’s critical to have the asbestos professionally removed to ensure your safety. (Avoid all contact with, and never try to remove, asbestos yourself.) And while it is not a substitute for professional asbestos removal, an air purifier with a HEPA filter can improve air quality and remove particulate matter.
Disclaimers
1 Airmega air purifiers have been proven to trap dust, pollen, dander in the air based on KCL(Korea Conformity Laboratories) testing. They have been tested according to the Korea Air Cleaning Association standard (SPS-KACA 002-132:2022 Modified) to measure the 0.01㎛ size of particle removal rate. It was tested on maximum airflow speed in normal room temperature and humidity conditions. The performance may vary in the actual living environment of customers. Tested with Airmega Aim, 50, 100, 150, Tower AP-1216L, Mighty AP-1512HH, MightyS AP-1512HHS, 200M, Icon, 230, 240, 250, 250S, 300, 300S, 350, 400, 400S, 450, ProX
2Our HEPA filter complies with IEST-RP-CC007 standards at speed level 1 as tested by SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance). SGS's test report only reflects SGS's evaluation of the sample and does not reflect the evaluation of the batch of goods from which the sample was taken. Tested with Airmega 100, 150, 160, Mighty AP-1512HH, MightyS AP-1512HHS, 200M, 230, 240, 250, 250S, 250 Art, 300, 300S, 350, 400, 400S, 450, ProX
3 Tested by KCL(Korea Conformity Laboratories) according to JEM 1467: 2015 condition, the concentration of acetic acid was proven to be reduced up to 99.5% in 60 minutes. Results may vary depending on actual environment. Tested with Airmega 150, Mighty AP-1512HH, 200M
4 Tested by KCL(Korea Conformity Laboratories) according to SPS-KACA002-132:2022, showed result of over 99.5% removal rate of common household gases including Ammonia, Acetaldehyde, Acetic acid, Formaldehyde, Toluene, Benzene, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) within 30 minutes. Results may vary in different environments and not all odors or gas particles may be removed. Tested with Airmega MightyS AP-1512HHS, 250S, 300S, 400S, 350, 450
5 Test conducted using Coway Allergen filter media (5×5 cm) placed in a polyethylene bag. The allergen solution and sample were immersed in 2 mL of phosphate buffer (100 ng/mL) prior to the reaction and heat-sealed to specimen size. The reaction was maintained at 4°C for 24 hours. Nichinichi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. conducted the test using ELISA to measure allergen concentration. Results may vary in actual product usage environments. Tested with Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH, 200M
6 Removal rates of Ammonia (NH₃) and Hydrogen Sulfide (H₂S) were tested in a 1 m³ chamber under EL608:2023 conditions for 30 minutes. Gas Detector Tubes were used for measurement, and testing was conducted by KCL (Korea Conformity Laboratories). Results may vary in actual product usage environments. Tested with Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH, 200M
7 Reduction rates of Naphthalene, Sulfur Dioxide, and Nitrogen Dioxide were tested using the Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH in 1㎥ chamber, following JEM-1467:2015 standards. Tests were conducted by Intertek. Actual performance may vary depending on the living environment. Tested with Airmega Mighty AP-1512HH, 200M
9 Tested by KCL(Korea Conformity Laboratories) according to SPS-KACA002-132:2022. The test was conducted with Methyl mercaptan, Isovaleraldehyde, Isovaleric acid in a 1.0±0.1 m³ chamber with a test time of 60 minutes at (24±4)°C and (46±10)% Relative Humidity. A removal ratio of over 99.5% was achieved. Results may vary depending on the actual usage environment. Tested with Airmega 350, 450
10 Tested by the Guangzhou Institute of Microbiology, exposed the filter media to protein solutions for 24 hours under ISO 4333-2022 standard. The results showed strong reduction performance: >99.79% for pollen, >99.60% for dog allergen, >99.90% for cat allergen, and >99.80% for dust mites matter allergen. Actual results may vary depending on room size, airflow, and pollutant levels. Tested with Airmega 350, 450
11 Tested by KCL(Korea Conformity Laboratories) according to SPS-KACA002-132:2022. The test was conducted in a 1.0±0.1 m³ chamber for 60 minutes at (24±4)°C and (46±10)% Relative Humidity. A removal ratio of >99.5% was achieved for Formaldehyde and Toluene in 60 minutes. Results may vary depending on the actual usage environment. Tested with Airmega 350, 450
12 Tested by Intertek. The evaluation was conducted against designated test materials: Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen dioxide, and Naphthalene. The test was performed in a sealed 1.0×1.0×1.0 m (1.0 m³) odor chamber at a test room temperature of (23±2)°C (measured between 23.6∼23.9°C) and a test room humidity of (45±5)% R.H. (measured between 40∼48)% Relative Humidity. It met the odor removal rate of ≥99.9% for Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen dioxide, and Naphthalene. Results may vary depending on the actual usage environment. Tested with Airmega 350, 450
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