Activated Carbon As a Smoke Purifier

Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals, many of which are dangerous to your health. Regular exposure can cause everything from lung irritation to heart disease and even cancer.

Air purifiers work great at reducing particulate pollution, but they can’t eliminate the toxic gases found in smoke. That’s where a dedicated smoke eliminator (aka “smoke eater”) comes in handy.

Activated Carbon Filter

Activated carbon filters help control odors and gases. They’re made of small blocks or granular activated carbon that have been treated to increase surface area and make it more porous to absorb more contaminants. They’re also able to remove chlorine by-products like trihalomethane which have been linked to cancer and other negative health outcomes in drinking water.

The carbon is processed by physical or chemical activation. In physical activation, the material is heated to high temperatures which makes it puffed up with microscopic pores and increases its adsorption capacity. Chemical activation involves impregnating the carbon with chemicals, then subjecting it to lower temps which opens up the pores even more.

As air passes through an activated carbon filter, odors, gases, and chemicals are trapped inside the filter’s porous surface. The impurities are then released when the filtered air is pushed back into your home.

This Levoit model has a three-stage filtration system that uses a true HEPA filter and a fine preliminary filter to capture dust, pet hair, and larger particles, and then an activated carbon filter that’s designed specifically SMOKE PURIFIER for smoke, cooking odors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like mold and pollen. It also has a fragrance sponge that infuses the room with essential oils. This filter has also been shown to reduce PFAS and PFOA, two synthetic chemicals commonly used in firefighting foam, metal plating, and stain repellents that have now ended up in our environment and drinking water supplies.

Activated Carbon Gas Filter

Carbon air filters use a bed of activated carbon to trap gaseous pollutants and chemicals like odors, VOCs, and radon. They work in a way that is distinct from other filter types like HEPA, which only remove particles from the air. Activated carbon is so efficient at removing gases because it has an incredible surface area. Its porous structure is similar to that of a sponge.

When a substance comes in contact with carbon, intermolecular forces pull it into the millions of pockets and pores on its surface. Different carbon sources have varying chemical properties, and the activation process also affects the surface. Some contaminants stick to the carbon by physical adsorption, while others may interact with it through chemical processes like ion exchange.

The type of carbon used in a carbon filter depends on the application. Activated carbon is often used in water filters to reduce dissolved solids, such as chlorine, lead, and arsenic. It’s also popular in agricultural applications, where it’s used as a natural pesticide and disinfectant. In alcoholic beverages, it’s used to remove odors and colorations that might be undesirable.

Activated carbon can be found in both granular and powdered forms. Typically, powdered activated carbon (PAC) is mixed with water to form carbon block filters. The block filters contain densely packed PAC and GAC particles that can be sized to fit the particular application.

Activated Carbon Odor Eliminator Filter

Activated carbon is very good at trapping organic odors, fumes and gaseous pollutants like volatile organic chemicals (VOC), pesticides, herbicides, chlorine, formaldehyde, and SMOKE PURIFIER more. It is also very good at removing smoke odors. It does not do so well at removing particle based pollutants such as dust and pollen.

The type and size of the carbon used in an air purifier is directly related to just how much it can remove. Most cheap and cheerful (and some not so cheap) units found in High Street stores will contain only a token gesture of carbon – usually just some lightweight sponge impregnated with a little carbon. This only has a tiny amount of surface area and will only trap a fraction of the pollutants that it could if it was made of loose, real activated carbon.

The best carbon filters will contain a kilo or more of genuine, loose-fill activated carbon. They may not look as nice and pristine as the standard MERV-rated filters found in most HEPA based machines but they will be much more effective at removing odors and gases.

UV Light

UV light is an invisible part of the solar spectrum. It rests just beyond the visible light spectrum, and is created naturally by the sun as well as by some technologies like arc welders, tanning beds, black lights and certain forms of air cleaners.

Ultraviolet light can sanitize surfaces, but requires prolonged exposure in order to be effective, so it’s usually used alongside mechanical forms of filtration. For example, it’s often used in combination with a carbon filter to sanitize smoke and odors from the air.

Designed specifically for smoking concerns, this model utilizes multiple filtration stages including a pre-filter for large materials, a charcoal gas and odor eliminator filter, and a HEPA particle and germicidal UV light. It can also effectively sanitize the air in rooms up to 538 square feet.