Air Pollution: Do Air Purifiers In Cars Actually Work? Benefits, Measures To Follow And Factors To Keep In Mind

Air pollution is one of the most urgent environmental and public-health challenges facing the world today. It occurs when harmful gases, chemicals, and particles are released into the atmosphere in amounts that exceed the environment's ability to naturally absorb or break them down. The major sources include vehicle emissions, industrial activities, burning fossil fuels, waste disposal, and agricultural practices. Vehicle pollution is one of the leading cause of air pollution. Many people assume they are safer from air pollution once they get inside a car — but this is not always true.

Surprisingly, the air inside a car can sometimes be more polluted than the air outside. Pollutants from surrounding traffic can accumulate in the cabin, especially when windows are closed or when driving in heavy congestion. Exposure inside cars can lead to headaches, fatigue, irritation of eyes, nose, and throat, and longer-term health issues which include Aggravation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases,

Increased risk of heart disease and stroke, Reduced lung development in children and cancer. Studies suggest that siting inside a car in a metropolitan city like Delhi is equivalent to smoking 23–45 cigarettes a day during severe AQI.

Many devices are available in the market to help improve air quality. One such devise that has been gaining popularity are car air purifiers.

There have been many attempts to study the effect of car air purifiers. These studies suggest that although these purifiers help significantly reduce harmful particles (PM2.5) and some gases inside your car — especially in polluted cities or heavy traffic, they are not a magic bullet: their effectiveness depends a lot on the filter quality, CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate), and how well you maintain the purifier.

Using these air purifiers can have many health benefits from lowering risk of respiratory illness such as asthma exacerbation, allergic reactions, coughing and breathing difficulties to improved heart health by lowering physiological stress and inflammation due to pollution exposure.

They also help better cognitive performance by increasing reaction time, increased alertness and help concentrate.

These purifiers along with recirculation mode in car ac can help prevent polluted air from outside enter the vehicle. Keeping windows closed, placing the filter at the right location, regularly replacing filters every 4-6 months can increase purified air in the car. car air purifiers with HEPA + activated carbon filters are good at capturing fine particles and gases/VOCs, improving in-car air quality.

In todays world where air pollution is the norm and one of the leading cause of health problems, some small efforts like taking public transport, planting more trees, preventing stubble burning, implementing strict GRAP policies.  Using air purifiers can have a impact in improving health, decreasing pollution related symptoms, improving overall quality of life which lead to better productivity that ultimately leads to nations development which in turn will help reduce air pollution for future generations.

Content By Dr Mayank Saxena, Additional Director -Pulmonology, Fortis Noida

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