Air Purifiers That Remove Microplastics

Microplastics and nano plastics are present in the air, food, and even the water we drink. However, because of the effects these microplastics can have on your health you might wonder if there is an air purifier that can remove them from your home.

Microplastics can be removed by an air purifier with a True HEPA filter. A H13 or H14 HEPA filter can capture >99.97% of microplastic particles as small as 0.3 microns, thanks to its finely interwoven fibers. Air purifiers that rely solely on activated carbon, ionization, UV-sterilization or ozone generation are ineffective against microplastics. 

This article will take you through what microplastics are, how they get into the air, and their negative effects on human health. It will also explain how an air purifier removes microplastics.

Click here to view our favorite 3 air purifiers for removing microplastics.

Microplastics In Our Air

Microplastics (MPs) as pieces of plastic smaller than 5 mm or 3/16 of an inch.

These plastics have been deliberately added to medical devices, coatings, cosmetics, cleaning goods and food packaging. In fact, the list of items is endless.

Plastics become microplastics, or even nanoplastics, when products like bottles, textiles, tires, and packaging breakdown into increasingly smaller pieces. Microplastics and nanoplastics can be carried in the air, and then fall to the ground with rain.

Unfortunately, these particles are now pervasively present in our air. The size of these pieces of plastic matters, because the smaller it is, the harder it is to remove from our air.

The smallest MICROplastics have a length of 0.1 micrometers (m), or one-thousandth of a millimeter, and anything smaller than that enters the realm of NANOplastics.

Nanoplastics have a size range of 1–100 nm. These are extremely tiny; one micrometer is equal to 1,000 nanometers. We are exposed to these tiny plastic particles by breathing in contaminated air or by drinking contaminated water.

Filters That Remove Microplastics

Certified HEPA filters are the most effective way to remove microplastics from the air.

The best filters for removing microplastic from the air are True HEPA filters (not HEPA-like or HEPA-type).

True HEPA filters can trap 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns (airborne microplastic particles are mostly 1 to 5 mm) and can also be identified as H13 HEPA filters under the European classification system.

Medical-grade H14 HEPA filters are able to remove slightly more, capturing 99.9% of particles down to 0.1 microns. Although, there aren’t many air purifiers with H14 filters available to the public.

When True HEPA filters are used in conjunction with other filtering techniques, such as mechanical, electrostatic, and activated carbon filters, an air purifier can also successfully remove microplastics from the indoor air.

However, it’s important to know that there are currently no air purifiers available commercially that are able to remove nanoparticles smaller than 0.1 microns.

The only way to tackle airborne nanoparticles is to reduce the amount of plastic items in your home, regularly ventilate the area by opening windows and running fans, and vacuum at least once a week to collect any settled nanoplastic particles.

If you are concerned about the microplastics and nanoplastics in your water supply, Water Purification Guide has a comprehensive review on the best ways to remove them and ensure your drinking supply is clean.

How Air Purifiers Remove Microplastics

Sticky fiberglass strands are braided into the numerous layers of a HEPA filter. Microplastic-polluted air is drawn in by an air purifier, forcing it to pass through the HEPA filter, which traps the tiny plastic particles and other pollutants, and blows clean air back into space.

As the air enters the HEPA filter, the contaminants are filtered out by the large, small and ultrafine particles impacting the filter and clinging or sticking to the filter’s fibers.

How Microplastics get into our Indoor Air

We know that microplastics are minute particles or fibers released by bigger plastic parts as they deteriorate. Because microplastics are so small and light they can easily be carried by wind over great distances, and as they move through the air, they can easily end up in the air inside buildings.

However, most microplastics found in our homes are from products that we have and use without realizing it. Furniture, synthetic clothing, toys, and even face scrubs can all contain microplastics that can become airborne as we use them around the home.

Here are some of the main sources of microplastics that are likely to affect us in our homes:

Household items- The breakage of plastic objects found in our houses, especially those made of plastic, by friction, heat, or light releases microplastics in our air. Toys, furniture, plastic bags, cosmetics, toothpaste, and detergents are a few examples.

Clothing- Clothes made from synthetic fibers may contain microplastics. The most common materials used to make clothes that may contain microplastics are acrylic, nylon, and polyester. When you buy these clothes, microplastics are released from them repeatedly as you wear them, and especially when you wash them, exposing you and your family to microplastics just by getting dressed.

House furnishings-Many house furnishing materials contain microplastics or fibers. These furnishing materials include textiles. Microplastic fibers are discharged into the air when these textiles are washed or scrubbed, such as chairs, couches or rugs.

Waste and dumpsters- Each year, a large number of plastic products are made. In less than a year, half of that plastic is trash. Only a small portion of the manufactured plastic gets recycled; the remainder is dumped into the air, land, and water as waste– where it begins to degrade and breakdown into smaller particles. Living near a rubbish tip increases our risk of being exposed to airborne microplastics.

Industries- Your indoor air can also be at an increased risk of microplastic contamination if it is close to a plastic manufacturing industry or a plastic recycling plant. This is because microplastics can travel in the air over long and short distances. Remember plastic doesn’t breakdown – it breaks apart into tiny pieces, so while recycling is fantastic for the environment the very act of crushing plastic containing products can release them into the air.

Common Microplastics found in our Homes

Both indoor and outdoor air have been proven to contain microplastics. However, research has shown that microplastics in indoor air is far more common and concentrated than in outside air pollution.

And because we spend roughly 90% of our time indoors, there is a substantial health risk due to the higher concentration of microplastic pollution in our indoor spaces, rather than outdoors.

The worst part about airborne microplastic particles is that once they are inhaled there is no way for them to leave our body. They end up leaving our lungs to enter our blood stream where they cause irreparable damage, and are even associated with heart and brain diseases.

The most common microplastics found indoors include;

Phthalates

• This is a category of chemicals intended to increase the durability of plastics.
• Products containing it include vinyl flooring, lubricating oils, and personal care items, including soaps, shampoos, and hair sprays. You are exposed to phthalates when you use any of these items.
• Long-term exposure to phthalates negatively impacts child growth and development, pregnancy and can also disrupt the endocrine system, which controls how and when our hormones are released.

Bisphenol-A (BPA)

• BPA is an industrial chemical used to create polycarbonate, a material frequently found in plastic products, including water bottles.
• BPA has been a cause for concern for a number of years now and many people are aware of its dangers. You are easily exposed to BPA when you use BPA-made products.
• The brain and prostate gland of fetuses, newborns, and toddlers can suffer numerous harmful health impacts from repeated exposure to BPA.
• It has been linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and elevated blood pressure.

Water Purification Guide has a comprehensive list of brands of water bottles that are BPA-free available here.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

• PET is a polymer that is frequently used in manufacturing. It is translucent, robust, and lightweight.
• Most often used in fabrics and food packaging (polyester).

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

• HDPE is great for cartons, containers, pipes, and other building components because it is robust and resistant to chemicals and moisture. It is often used in water proof materials.
• Exposure or contact with the eyes can cause eye irritations.

Polypropylene (PP)

• PP is better at withstanding heat than certain other materials, making it perfect for food storage and packaging intended for hot objects or heat. It’s also used in bottle tops or straws.
• A toxic or stress reaction in cells can be brought on by Polypropylene exposure, which also alters androgen hormones.

Polystyrene (PS)

• Also known as Styrofoam, PS is a hard plastic that is inexpensive, excellent at insulating, and has become a standard in the building, packaging, and food industries.
• Depression, headaches, exhaustion, sluggishness, hearing loss, and impaired kidney function are among the side effects of prolonged styrofoam exposure.

How to Reduce Airborne Microplastics at Home

To reduce microplastics at home, avoid using items made of plastic as much as possible. To do so, avoid using single-use plastics, purchase organic clothing, purchase plastic-free cosmetics, avoid microwaving meals in plastic, routinely vacuum and dust your home, and make sure it has enough ventilation. 

Here are a range of steps you can take in your home to reduce your exposure to airborne microplastic particles.

• Ventilate the house as much as possible (e.g., open windows, and operate fans)
• Avoid microbead-containing products, such as toothpaste, soap, face scrub, and cosmetics.
• Reduce the quantity of plastic in the home (e.g., drink water from filtered taps instead of water from single-use plastic bottles).
• Consider replacing carpets with solid flooring (e.g., tiles) as they collect plastic fibers and other debris.
• Flooring made of vinyl and linoleum can also disperse microplastics into the atmosphere.
• Use an air purifier, especially in the rooms occupied the most (e.g., lounge or bedroom).
• Vacuum frequently to remove microplastic and nanoplastic dust that has accumulated.
• Avoid wearing synthetic clothing as it sheds plastic fibers that can cause respiratory issues.
• Use organic, natural textiles and fabrics to furnish your home.
• Avoid toys made of plastic or with plastic components. Select wood or rubber instead.

Negative Effects Associated with Microplastics

Microplastics, which are too small for the body to eliminate on their own, remain in our lung tissue after inhalation and eventually enter the bloodstream. The most vulnerable to the impacts of microplastics are infants.

According to the CDC, babies that crawl on the ground, and kids, in general, are in more danger of microplastic exposure because their respiratory systems are still developing. Children also breathe more frequently than adults, meaning they inhale a greater volume of air (and microplastics) each day, relative to their body size.

Research also shows that when microplastics enter the deep lungs after inhalation, they can cause respiratory system lesions.

The tiniest of microplastic particles can also enter our circulation, influencing our brain and immune systems, potentially cause cancer, especially in women (breast cancer), and lead to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular problems.

Some research points out that microplastic exposure may even lead to plastic addiction which may cause:

• Oxidative stress.
• Cytotoxicity.
• Immunotoxicity.
• Thyroid hormone disruption.
• Altered adipogenesis

How to Test for Airborne Microplastics

There are no real methods for us to test for microplastics in our air at home.

How to Prevent Airborne Microplastics

To prevent microplastics in the air, ensure the house is properly ventilated, invest in an air purifier that removes microplastic, and avoid using plastic-made products altogether (opt for glass, wood etc).

Top Air Purifiers for Removing Microplastics

Very few air purifier brands genuinely claim to be able to remove microplastics.

However, air purifiers that can lower the amount of microplastics have a True HEPA H13 or H14 grade filter, which remove particles as small as 0.3 microns.

The following three air purifiers are excellent at removing microplastics:

1. Alen BreatheSmart 75i

As pet hair, dander, dust, and other airborne particles are all filtered by the B4-Pure pre-filter, the activated carbon filter, on the other hand, eliminates gases and odor-causing substances, keeping the space fresh and clean for a long period. The system also includes one of the highest grade HEPA filters, which ensures the near-complete elimination of small particles.

It cleans 1,300 square feet every 30 minutes and operates quietly. Consequently, this air purifier may run all night long without disturbing you.

Pros:

• Quiet operation (23 dB).
• Easy to use.
• Suitable for bigger rooms.
• Has an air quality sensor.
• App compatible (Alen air app).

2. EnviroKlenz Mobile UV Air Purifier

Made with patented ‘earth mineral’ technology, the EnviroKlenz Mobile UV air purifier features a HEPA filter for the removal of 99.97% of microplastics larger than 0.3 microns.

This air purifier not only removes microplastics but comes with a patented air filter (EnviroKlenz® Air Cartridge) that is made to effectively capture and neutralize 99.9% of VOCs, including benzene and formaldehyde.

An UV-C light offers additional protection from bacteria, viruses and mold.

This purifier can clean air from large rooms up to 1000 sq. ft. with 3-5 air changes per hour and a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 300.

This purifier also comes with a 5 year warranty and a 100% money back guarantee, making it the best value air purifier available for microplastic removal.

This air purifier will effectively remove microplastics and other concerning contaminants from your home and ensuring you have clean air to breathe.

Pros

• BPA-free
• 5-year warranty
• Highly portable
• High performance and durable
• High-efficiency fan

3. Afloia Kilo Air Purifier

The Kilo air purifier by Afloia is a specially made air purifier featuring a prefilter, activated carbon filter, and H13 HEPA filter for maximum filtering effectiveness. This brand uses an H13 HEPA filter to filter out microplastics from indoor air.

It includes 7 LED color-changing lights which may be used as desired by the user or shut off completely if the user does not have use with them.

Pros:

• Can serve as a night light.
• Quiet operation (22 dB).
• Easy to use.
• Lightweight.
• Has a timer.