Companies sell activated carbon filters (also called “charcoal filters” or “carbon air filters”) to remove chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene, but does carbon really work to remove VOCs? The Smart Air lab put real-world carbon air filters to the test. Who Needs Carbon Filters Anyway? I wrote early on that …
In recent months, the Japanese Pitta masks have seen a surge in popularity in Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai, as well as in India, the US and South Korea. They look sleek, but are the Pitta masks actually effective at filtering PM2.5, bacteria and viruses? Data shows that Japan’s air …
With mask shortages during the coronavirus outbreak, some doctors are sanitizing masks with alcohol so they can re-use them. But this raises questions about whether alcohol actually works and whether it degrades the masks. Does Alcohol Kill Viruses? The research on alcohol is clear. Alcohol kills viruses. Technically, viruses aren’t alive, …
In the rush to make homemade masks, many people are wondering whether reusable bags such as non-woven polypropylene plastic bags are effective at filtering viruses. These reusable bags are incredibly popular in places like Asia and Africa, where they are a common alternative to flimsy plastic shopping bags. Why Non-Woven …
