Whether it’s to improve the air quality in your home because of indoor air pollutants or to help you avoid allergies and asthma, an air purifier is proving to be very useful.
The question is, does it really help keep us healthy, or is it unknowingly harming us by exposing us to EMF radiation?
While air purifiers emit EMF waves, the radiation emitted is within the international regulations for electrical appliances. However, there has been a significant appeal from scientists stating that the accepted levels by authorities are too high and should be reduced to prevent health hazards.
Air purifiers emit low levels of EMF radiation but the prolonged and frequent use of these devices can greatly increase your exposure.
Keep reading to know more about EMF levels of air purifiers and their consequences on our health!
Average EMF Radiation Emitted From Air Purifiers
On average, air purifiers can emit 60-150 Hz depending on their motor and features. The amount of emission is significantly low compared to the 3GHz EMF emission from a mobile phone.
This means that a mobile phone emits 20x more EMF radiation than an air purifier. While this is not an alarming and unsafe level, the prolonged exposure of low EMF can considerably add up over a long time.
The amount of radiation absorbed by the human body is also affected by the distance between the appliance that is emitting EMF radiation and your body. Radiation decreases rapidly with distance, so the further you are, the less EMF waves will get to you.
Another option that some air purifiers offer is ultraviolet (UV) light. Manufacturers state that when the UV light is on, it makes the device even more effective in improving the air purification quality of a room.
However, you should note that UV light is a form of EMF radiation, which further amplifies the emission of radiation by air purifiers that offer this option.
The International Regulations Of EMF Radiation
EMFs are emitted by every electrical item in your home. Nonetheless, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and to the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines, most people’s daily exposure to EMF is relatively modest and low.
The cables that transport electrical current and mobile phones are the most likely sources of your EMF exposure in your house. According to the ICNIRP, the safe range of EMF exposure is between 0-300 GHz for the average healthy person.
However, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified the frequency range of 30kHz-300GHz as potential human carcinogens in Group 2B.
Yet, with the emergence of new evidence on low EMF levels and their impacts on our body, more than 260 scientists have sent an appeal to the EU in 2017 to reduce the range of the accepted EMF frequency.
Unfortunately, the EU has not provided any positive response despite the appeal and four rebuttals.
A review from the Molecular and Clinical Oncology Journal suggested that the ICNIRP guidelines contradict several existing scientific reports that show the impacts of EMF radiation on our health.
Therefore, we can conclude that the established guidelines for EMF radiation by international organizations could potentially be more harmful than they think.
How To Know How Much Emission Comes From Your Air Purifier
If you are very concerned about your health and radiation emissions in your own home, there are ways to measure and be aware of the levels of EMF radiation you are exposed to on a daily basis.
This indispensable device to measure the level of EMF is called the EMF meter like these here. EMF meters are classified into two types: single-axis and tri-axis.
A single-axis meter detects EMF in just one direction, therefore you must turn the meter to obtain accurate data about an electromagnetic field.
The majority of EMF meters on the market are single-axis meters, which are far less expensive and have user-friendly features such as digital readings and LED lighting.
These portable gadgets are available for purchase online. However, be warned that most cannot monitor EMFs at very high frequencies, and their precision is typically low, limiting their usefulness.
You may also contact your power company to arrange for an on-site reading for further information. Tri-axis EMF meters differ as they can assess the levels of EMF in the surrounding with more accuracy and precision.
There are several affordable and efficient EMF meters on the market if you are interested in this gadget.
Are The Regulated Amounts Safe?
As mentioned above, there has been an uproar in the scientific community regarding the regulations established by the ICNIRP and the EU.
With several research papers showing the detrimental effects of EMF radiation on our bodies and well-being, several scientists have appealed for the authorities to reduce the range and have stricter measures in place.
Unfortunately, so far, all attempts have been in vain. You should note that the new guidelines that the ICNIRP released in 2018, the classification of EMF exposure as a Group 2b by the IARC was not considered.
The ICNIRP does not acknowledge the health effects linked to EMF exposure as stated in a review by the Molecular and Clinical Oncology Journal.
In fact, a study from the Frontiers in Public Health Journal provided evidence that low EMF exposure can induce or increase gene expression of heat shock proteins (HSP).
These proteins can cause detrimental effects on existing proteins and affect normal cellular function in your body. In worst-case scenarios, they can even lead to necrosis.
Another report by Frontiers in Public Health showed that low EMF radiation could influence cancer drug resistance among tumor cells because of the formation of reactive oxigen species (ROS).
ROS molecules are formed when oxygen molecules are broken down into free radical species. They also stated that the presence of ROS could influence the carcinogenic process and cause DNA damages.
These studies form part of a vast array of evidence demonstrating that even at low levels, long-term EMF exposure could lead to adverse effects.
Ways To Protect Yourself From Emf Radiation
It is difficult to know the precise amount of your EMF exposure since there are so many factors and sources involved. However, the most secure way of protecting yourself against EMF radiation is by investing in premium quality EMF blockers.
There are several innovative companies, such as Defendershield, who have designed effective EMF blockers that can shield you from up to 99% of radiation.
If air purifiers are a must in your lifestyle, you can get the beanie, scarf, phone cases, and blankets from Defendershield to protect your body from the EMF waves emitted.
Also, another trick is to put the air purifier as far as you can from yourself to minimize the impact of radiation on you.
