Air Conditioning

Boost Your Air Quality and Revitalize Your Atmosphere

Contents

Residential Air That You Breathe
Health-Threatening Airborne Pollutants
The Better the Indoor Air Quality, the More Comfort and Health in Your Life

Residential Air That You Breathe

You may assume the air that fills your home is always clean. The fact is that concentrations of many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are consistently higher indoors. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products such as adhesives, paints, varnishes, and wax. Indoor air also contains house dust composed of dog/cat dandruff, and shells or dung from mites (house dust mites) that can trigger the outset of allergies.
The chances are high that you inhale health-threatening pollutants without knowing.

18 kg—The Weight of Air We Inhale and Exhale in a Day

The average adult inhales and exhales about as much as 18 kilograms of air a day. Other than the air, we consume about 1.3 kilograms of food and drink about 1.2 kilograms of water a day. Not many people think about this fact, but we consume more air than anything else.

Health-Threatening Airborne Pollutants

Pollens such as Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress pollens are allergens that trigger allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and/or asthma. In addition to them, air pollutants smaller than the human eye can see, are everywhere around us.

What is PM2.5?

Some cities in Northern China and South Asia have had the highest levels of particulate matter concentrations up until a few years ago, raising health concerns among neighboring countries. Particulate matter (PM) 2.5 is defined as the fraction of particles in the air, with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 µm* that can cause health hazards. The particle size is small enough to burrow deep inside human lungs, and studies show exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 can increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, including asthma and bronchitis.
(*: 1 μm = 1/1000 mm)

Sources

Sources of PM2.5 are classified into two categories, i.e., primary and secondary emissions. Primary PM2.5 sources are those directly emitted to the atmosphere by combustion-related emissions. Secondary particulate matter precursors are pollutants that are partly transformed into particles by chemical reactions in the atmosphere.

Combustions

Primary PM2.5 sources include boilers and incinerators that generate smoke, coke ovens and mineral deposits that emit industrial dust, road vehicles, marine vessels, and aircraft. Organic biogenic aerosols, sea spray, volcanic dust, and wind-blown desert dust are examples of natural sources. Smoking, cooking, and wood/fossil-fuel-burning stoves are household pollutant sources.

Chemical Reactions in the Atmosphere

Secondary particulate precursors are produced by thermal power plants, industrial processes, building emissions, road vehicles, marine vessels, aircraft, household activities, which emit sulfur oxides (SOx) and/or nitrogen oxides (NOx). Incinerators, solvents, paints, and oil refineries, as well as forest fires and burning, contribute to higher concentrations of gaseous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that react with the ozone, then, are transformed into particulate matter through photochemical or chemical reactions in the atmosphere.

Health Effects of Particulate Matter

PM2.5 particles are ultra-fine, with diameters of about 1/30 of a human hair. The particle size is small enough to burrow deep inside human lungs. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 poses negative effects on the respiratory system leading to, e.g., asthma, bronchitis, and is reported to increase the risk of lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Other Pollutants—PM10

Particles on the order of 10 μm or less are called PM10 (or coarse particulate matter). The sources of PM10 are soot, yellow sand, coarse particulates and exhaust gases from various industrial processes, and volatile components from petroleum in the atmosphere. Like PM2.5, direct inhalation of PM10 causes respiratory diseases.

Other Pollutants—Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide is a one-carbon compound in which the carbon is joined only to a single oxygen molecule. It is a colorless, odorless, and flammable gas at normal temperature and pressure. It is highly toxic to animals that use hemoglobin as an oxygen carrier. Exposure to a high level of carbon monoxide may result in seizure, coma, and fatality.
Carbon monoxide is produced from the partial oxidation of carbon-containing compounds, such as operating gas or fuel used for combustion heating. That is why you are always cautioned to ventilate or open windows when using combustion stoves or heaters.

Other Pollutants—Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Sulfur dioxide is a major air pollutant and has a significant impact upon human health. Exposure to high concentrations above 0.02% (200 ppm) can cause seizure and coma, and even lead to fatality if the concentration is higher than that.
It is a toxic gas produced as a by-product of the burning (oxidization) of fossil fuels, e.g., coal, crude oil, that are contaminated with sulfur compounds. Iron ore and copper ore also contain sulfur, therefore, iron or copper refining produce sulfur dioxide.
Air containing sulfur dioxide can cause respiratory tract irritations, coughing, asthma, bronchitis, and other problems. Sulfur dioxide is also known as one of the sources of acid rain.

Other Pollutants—Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

Nitrogen dioxide typically arises via the atmospheric oxidation of nitric oxide (NO) which comes from high-temperature combustion of fuels.
High concentrations of the gaseous form of nitrogen dioxide cause distress, including irritation of the throat, bronchitis or pneumonia. Human-caused sources of nitrogen dioxide vary. Internal combustion engines, industrial processes, thermal power plants, domestic heaters or stoves that burn fossil fuels all produce nitrogen dioxide.

The Better the Indoor Air Quality, the More Comfort and Health in Your Life

IAQ, the acronym for Indoor air quality, represents Panasonic's initiative to create improved air quality in order to live healthier and more comfortably.
Panasonic offers a range of products to boost air quality, from stand-alone air purifiers for improved air quality to the latest air conditioners with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that function as air purifiers.

What Is nanoe™ Technology?

nanoe™ Technology is Panasonic’s unique technology, which involves its special expertise at the nanometer level. It deodorises, inhibits the growth of bacteria, and viruses, and is effective in dust removal for a fresher, cleaner indoor environment.
“nanoe™ Technology” is a general term that refers to one, two, or all of three different types of nanoe™ devices (nanoe™X, nanoe™, and nanoe-G) either separately or in any combination.

The characteristics and 7 effects of nanoe™ X

nanoe™ X are nano-sized electrostatic atomized water particles with 10 times the OH radicals of nanoe™

1. Eliminates frequently encountered odors.

nanoe™ X particles, which are smaller than steam particles, penetrate the deepest parts of fibers, allowing for highly effective deodorization.*1~8 OH radicals reach the source of the odors themselves and suppress them until they are barely noticeable.