Lighting the Way to the Future of Indoor Air Quality. Recent studies have shown that no home is immune to indoor air quality problems. New homes tend to have higher concentrations of chemicals. Older homes are breeding grounds for mold and mildew. And all homes, no matter how clean they appear, are contaminated with airborne bacteria, viruses, fungi and mold. For some people, this may mean no more than irritated eyes and sinus discomfort. For others, particularly children, seniors and those who suffer from allergies or asthma, the effects may be long lasting and devastating. According to the EPA, the air inside your home may be up to 10 times more polluted than the air outside. Pollutants in the air in your home can cause aggravated allergies, asthma and other health problems. Spray disinfectants can be harmful to humans and household pets, too. FACT: Molds can be found practically anywhere and in any type of climate. They can grow in places we least expect. Within 4 to 9 days a single mold spore can germinate and produce hundreds of thousands of airborne spores.

The following is an excerpt from a press release dated 1997 from the University of Florida explaining TiO2’s (titanium dioxide) bactericidal properties. PHOTOCATALYTIC AIR CLEANING SYSTEM PROMISES TO HELP ALLERGY SUFFERERS* Oct. 9, 1997
Staff Writer
Source: Yogi Goswami GAINESVILLE — Allergy and asthma sufferers soon may have a new weapon in their fight against airborne enemies: an indoor air cleaning system that uses light and simple chemicals to destroy the dust mites and mold spores that cause many allergies. Developed at the University of Florida’s Solar Energy and Energy Conversion Laboratory, the photocatalytic air filtration system has been tested in medical and industrial settings and already has proven successful at zapping odors and impurities caused by chemicals, viruses and bacteria. It soon will be available for home use, said Yogi Goswami, professor and director of the laboratory. “This technology will revolutionize our notions about the quality of indoor air,” said Goswami. “With people spending more and more time indoors, it becomes increasingly important to provide clean air.” The system uses light, which reacts with a titanium dioxide-based chemical catalyst as air passes through. The result is oxidation, which attacks and destroys microbes by disintegrating their DNA. The reaction also kills dust mites and mold. Goswami said that the photocatalytic process is superior to conventional techniques using filters, which must be changed and disposed of. “With this system, contaminants are destroyed rather than transferred. No toxic chemicals are employed,” said Goswami. Allergy and asthma suffers may find great relief once dust mites and mold spores are eliminated from the air they breathe, he said. “Dust mites in the air cause allergic reactions in an estimated 15 to 20 percent of the population, and have been linked to the development of childhood asthma. The droppings of dust mites are found in bedding and carpeting, but they also circulate in the air,” said Goswami. “Inhaled mold spores are also responsible for many allergy symptoms and aggravate asthma. Mold seeds are microscopic and need to be 100 percent destroyed. Otherwise, they lie dormant and grow back. Because mold spores also circulate in the air, cleaning an environmental surface is not an efficient way of eliminating molds. This system eliminates molds altogether.” Goswami said the system has been tested successfully in medical research settings where the air in laboratories must be microbe-free. “We've tested the photocatalytic air cleaning system on a variety of indoor air problems, including toxic bacteria, such as those found to cause Legionnaire’s disease,” said Goswami. “Surgical suites and hospital nurseries are just two obvious places for this system. Sick building syndrome will be a thing of the past where this system is used. The photocatalytic system can quickly kill off 100 percent of bacteria in indoor air,” said Goswami. *This study is in no way an endorsement of Photocatalytic CF or any other products referenced on this site.

CLICK HERE to view independent study of benefits of Ti02 (titanium dioxide).*

Other Uses of TiO2 (titanium dioxide) The element titanium is finding more and more applications in today’s society. The use of titanium metal in aerospace, sports and medicine is well known; in fact, over 96% of the worldwide use of titanium is in the oxide form, TiO2 (titanium dioxide), thus creating a high demand. The most important constituent of paint is titanium dioxide, an opaque substance that gives paint its high gloss and rich depth of color. TiO2 (titanium dioxide) replaced the dangerous metal lead that was used in paint for this purpose. TiO2 (titanium dioxide) has also been used for years in coloring for food and cosmetics, crayons, and UV protection in sunscreens and many other products we use every day. The disinfectant and self-cleaning qualities of TiO2 (titanium dioxide) are being widely employed in Japan and many European countries today for such products as coated ceramic tile for use in homes. This coating is reported to last the life of the tile and is activated by a UV light source and water. Other applications are TiO2 (titanium dioxide) coated self-cleaning roof tiles for homes and buildings, which are also activated by the UV light of the sun. In addition, TiO2 (titanium dioxide) is currently being used to treat the air in fruit, vegetable and cut flower storage areas to prevent spoilage and increases the products’ shelf life. The photocatalytic properties of TiO2 (titanium dioxide) remove ethylene gas from the air. Ethylene is a naturally occurring gaseous hormone produced by plant tissue that in low concentrations triggers the ripening of fruits and vegetables. Ethylene is also produced from other sources including internal combustion engines, certain fungi, and cigarette smoke. These are just a few of the products being developed today.

TESTIMONIALS

"I've been an allergy sufferer for as long as I can remember. I've tried numerous different medications, herbal remedies, air filters and even disinfectant sprays. I get so uncomfortable that I've moved from Texas to North Carolina and now to Oregon in hopes of finding relief from my allergy and asthma attacks. I found out about the Photocatalytic CF bulb through a friend of mine whose daughter suffers from severe asthma attacks. She highly recommended that I try it. I took her advice and now have one in every room in my house! It's absolutely amazing what a difference it has made for me. I'm completely comfortable in my own home. I feel like I can breathe again." —Carol Gable, Oregon I love my dog, but not the effect she has on my allergies. I saw an advertisement for Photocatalytic CF and, after a visit to the Web site, thought I would give it a try. WOW! My dog stays in my bedroom while I'm at work, so I just leave the light on. Not only does my room smell clean, but I wake up in the morning and can actually breathe through my nose! Thank you! —Mary Bell, New York I am a cigar smoker who loves to have a cigar in the evening. My wife hates the smell of cigars, so I had, basically, been banished from the house every evening. Now, thanks to Photocatalytic CF, I go into my study, close the door and flip on the light. I read the paper, smoke my cigar and when I'm finished I just leave the light on and close the door behind me. Before I go to bed I go back and flip off the light — no trace of cigar smell. —James C. Peterson, Parkland, Florida

Home Air Purification Photocatalytic CF :