I recently had a conversation with a friend who asked why I enjoy my air filter so much. And as I thought about it, I came to the same conclusion that brings me to write most of my blog posts, I should have a centralized place to store the things I learn, so I can pass them to inquiring minds when the time arrises. So this one’s for you!

A few Pollutants, their sources, and filtration methods

Particle Type	Sources	Remediation
Mold	Walls, HVAC, Carpets, Natural Materials, Wet places	Air flow, UV filters, Ozone
Benzene	Paint, Glue, Carpet, combustion	Activated carbon, Ventilation
Toluene, ethylbenzene and m, p and o xylene species	paints, glues, lacquers, thinners, cleaning agents, adhesives, fingernail polish, rubbers, dyes and varnishes	Activated carbon, Ventilation
Methylene Chloride	paint removers, aerosol solvents and other flame retardant	Activated carbon, Ventilation
Plastic	Clothes, furniture, toys, bags, soaps (PEG)	HEPA for plastic larger than .3 microns
CO2	Human breath, Combustion	Ventilation

VOC’s - Below are just a few well known VOCs

VOC’s are found in wood finishes, paints, paint strippers and other solvents, wood preservatives, cleansers and disinfectants, aerosol sprays, moth repellents and air fresheners, stored fuels and automotive products, hobby supplies, dry-cleaned clothing, and pesticide, to name a lot.

Formaldehyde, used in paints, mediates its toxic effects by chemically modifying vital cell components, including DNA and proteins, thereby leading to cellular dysfunction. Formaldehyde-mediated genotoxicity is caused by the formation DNA-DNA and DNA-protein cross-links, as well as covalent DNA monoadducts. In addition, formaldehyde is able to covalently modify proteins, inhibiting their functions [R]

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Benzene-metabolism-and-possible-mechanism-of-benzene-induced-leukemogenesis_fig2_8212903

Benzene, found in paint, glue, carpeting and emissions from gasoline combustion, is toxic to cells. Quinol, a metabolite of benzene is oxidised to p-benzoquinone, which binds to vital cellular components or undergoes redox cycling to generate oxygen radicals; muconaldehyde, like p-benzoquinone, is toxic through depletion of intracellular glutathione. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has recommended that, as benzene is considered an A1 carcinogen, the threshold limit value (TLV) should be decreased to 0.1 ppm. Air purifiers with activated charcoal filters will filter benzene and other VOCs from the air.

Toluene, ethylbenzene and m, p and o xylene species are commonly associated with paints, glues, lacquers, thinners, cleaning agents, adhesives, fingernail polish, rubbers, dyes and varnishes. The manufacturing process of other chemicals, nylon, and plastics may also involve toluene. To improve octane ratings of gasoline, toluene is added along with benzene and xylene.

The mechanism of action for toluene toxicity is not completely known. One possible mechanism is the Meyer-Overton theory which involves the partitioning of lipophilic parent compounds into membrane lipids. Solvents in cholesterol-filled interstices between phospholipids and sphingolipids change membrane fluidity, and this may affect intercellular communication and normal ion movement.

Methylene Chloride also known as dichloromethane, is one of the most common VOCs. It’s present in paint removers, aerosol solvents and other flame retardant chemicals. It is a particularly dangerous, although it is difficult for it to exist in large concentrations, largely because of its rapid rate of evaporation. Yet in the home, it’s easier for it to collect, meaning proper ventilation is a must when dealing with products containing methylene chloride.

Methylene chloride is readily absorbed by ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. After a time lag, hepatic metabolism of methylene chloride generates substantial quantities of carbon monoxide (CO), a chemical asphyxiant, and formaldehyde. [R] In turn, CO exerts additive cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity with native methylene chloride through competitive displacement of oxygen from hemoglobin, forming carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). Methylene chloride exposure also poses chronic health risks, including cancer; liver, kidney, and reproductive toxic effects; and cognitive impairment.

Plastic

Plastic is found in indoor air from textiles, carpets and furniture. Microplastics in the indoor air result from the fragmentation through friction, heat or light of plastic objects found in our homes. Research has already shown that we probably ingest microplastics at a rate of 11 particles per hour. [R] The presence of microplastics in human lung tissue was already demonstrated in the 1990s by scientists investigating lung tissue of cancer patients, who expressed their concern that plastic fibers may contribute to the risk of lung cancer.

Research showed that plastic particles might persist in the lungs, especially in people with lung disease. When particles would remain in the lungs, they likely stay there for a long time because they are bio-persistent. Plastic is fat soluble. Meaning it can stick through cell membranes (made of fat) and inhibit normal membrane functionality. Possibly starving cells of nutrients, ions and signaling molecules, as well as inhibit cellular waste removal. These are monster particles compared with the diameter of your cell membranes. And the body has a really hard time removing them. So they will bioaccumulate. Plastic is probably the biggest reason I like to have my air purifier running indoors. [R] [R] [R]

Finally, the most recent results on this matter have shown that nylon fibers hinder the growth of mini lungs, while polyester fibers did not. Defense cells in the lungs (macrophages) also attacked nylon fibers when exposed to these plastic particles. These preliminary results were introduced by researcher Fransien van Dijk during the first-ever Plastic Health Summit 2019, as part of research at the University of Groningen.

HVAC and Mold

Air ducts in central heating and cooling will naturally build up dust over time. The dust is comprised of longer lasting VOCs, and plastics, but mostly it will have human skin cells. And unfortunately for us, these particles are happy homes for mold. Water naturally condenses in the air ducts because the water vapor capacity in warm homes is more than the capacity through a cold metal duct. So water freely circulates in home air from human breath and skin, cooking and showering, and finds a cozy home to rest when it makes its way to the ducts. Now mold is very happy because it has food (human skin), water and darkness aplenty in these places. When central air is turned on, the water evaporates again and mold flies free. It is a very luxurious system for mold.

Mold, of course doesn’t need an HVAC to be happy. It just needs food, moisture and a dark safe place to live. Moisture is available through sources mentioned above, and unfiltered, uncirculating air provides plenty of food through human and animal skin cells. But there’s also wood, and any other natural material. Natural materials aren’t meant to stay stagnant forever afterall. They are part of the great cycle of life, of which mold dutifully contributes to their transformation. This is another great reason to open a couple windows, or have a great air purifier.

High CO2 Levels

If the carbon dioxide levels get too high, you might start noticing physical signs of an issue. Symptoms of high CO2 include headaches, dizziness, difficulty breathing, fatigue and increased heart rate. Basically, the high CO2 deprives the body of its needed oxygen, especially the brain.

Levels under 1,000 ppm are often fine and are found in homes with good air exchange. When the level increases to 1,000 to 2,000 ppm, it can cause you to feel drowsy. At levels between 2,000 and 5,000 ppm, you can experience more severe symptoms. [R]

Conclusion

The important question to put all of this in perspective is: How much is really in my air? How do I know if it’s enough to need a filter, or if it’s so minuscule that there’s no point in worrying? My first answer is, there is no point in worrying, but why not use a filter? Your air isn’t as good as mother nature made it if you are inside.

My second and dearest answer is a philosophical one that reaches to the core of many of my opinions: Trust your body and experience, and experiment.

Only following the science and waiting for a Fauci like character to tell me what to do was what took me so long to recover from my EMF exposure, when most doctor rolled their eyes and shook their heads. I denied the issue for longer than I could have, when my body was sending me all the signals

For particles in the air, there is some science, and I’ve shown a little. But it is in its infancy. There are hundreds of thousands of man made and natural molecules with little to no health research. That’s not a reason to be afraid of them all, it’s a reason to really nurture a good relationship with your own body. To experiment and feel into what works for you. Or you could wait until a study comes out on the effects of every long used chemical and hope that you see it if it’s effecting you.

Some would say “But you are susceptible to placebo and nocebo effect if you “trust your body”. You maybe are just worrying too much and putting too much faith in your doohickies. To that I enthusiastically say, there is no relationship more true, intimate and illuminating than that between your psychy and your body. If you are in the stage of development where you can believe something that’s not true about your body, even when your body is telling you something different, then there is a growth opportunity here. The relationship of accurate perception, care and understanding of your own body can be nurtured to crystalline clarity. If you pay attention you can acknowledge when fear has you overreacting to a stimulus. Or when hope has you ignoring your body for some wished for benefit. Your relationship with your body is like dancing contact improve. You learn to feel it out and see truth when you are totally present, and there is open communication through the depths of your experience, and you openly adjust your understanding when the time is needed.

More Resources

Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher)
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/volatile-organic-compounds-impact-indoor-air-quality

Health problems of VOCs
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/volatile-organic-compounds-impact-indoor-air-quality#Health_Effects

This one shows that APOE4, which I have, makes it worse
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S001393511500184X

Neighborhood social stressors, fine particulate matter air pollution, and cognitive function among older U.S. adults
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953616306281

Fine Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Cognitive Function Among U.S. Older Adults
https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/70/2/322/573701