Here is an interesting use of technology … a compact flourescent bulb that also clears the air of odors.

The surface of the O-ZONELite bulb is coated with powdered titanium dioxide, which interacts with short-wavelength light (produced by the bulb itself) to produce a reaction with organic compounds in the air.

To quote from the Royal Society of Chemistry:

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a common photocatalyst for the air oxidation of organic compounds producing carbon dioxide and water. TiO2 is very stable, has high photocatalytic activity and is non toxic which makes is suitable for applications such as this. The anatase form of titanium dioxide can be activated by light to generate highly oxidising free radical species. These can both breakdown organic species and kill micro-organisms.

The effectiveness seems to vary depending on the type of organic compound. Acetaldehyde from cigarette smoke is reduced by 50% after 30min; ammonia by 90%.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 25th, 2004 at 7:32 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.