Negative ions, healthy life's vitamins of the air.

What is an ion ?

Ions are tiny, electrified particles of matter, an ion is a charged atom or molecule. It is charged because the number of electrons do not equalthe number of protons in the atom or molecule. An atom can acquire a positive charge or a negative charge depending on whether the number of electrons in an atom is greater or less then the number of protons in the atom.

Sodium or Natrium (Na+) is positive ion.

Chloride (Cl-) is negative ion.

Negative ion :

Negative ions are abundant where nature is unspoiled, for examples at waterfalls, forests, caves, seasides, mountains, after a spring rain, and after thunderstorm. Air near waterfalls, mountains, beaches / seasides, and forests are places where ionization level are in complex and natural balance ! the air circulating in the mountains and the beaches are said to contain tens of thousands of negative ions, Much more than the average home or office building, which contain dozens or hundreds, and many register a flat zero. Balancing the ionization may help to combat the ill feelings associated with stressful lifestyles, the worlds most tranquil and refreshing regions are loaded with billions of Negative ions. atmospheres charged with negative ions relieve hay-fever and asthma symptoms, seasonal depression, fatigue and headaches. It's also been shown that negatively ionized atmospheres improve performance of voluntary movement, increase work capacity, sharpen mental functioning, and reduce error rates.

Natural ion balances could be altered in by man made environments such as in buildings or within vehicles, especially with the modern use of polymer materials which are prone to electrostatic charging to high voltages. Most of the elements in our modern day environments act as a vacuum for negative ions. air-conditioning, heating, synthetic fibres in our clothing and furniture cause a severe depletion of negative ions. pollution from car exhaust, cigarette smoking, fluorescent lighting, electrical and electronic equipment, TV screens, overcrowding and even breathing, all contribute to negative ion depletion. Negative ions are lost as they adhere to walls, fabric materials, and air-conditioning ducts; tobacco smoke, smog and crowds of people tend to use them up. Workplaces, particularly factories and office buildings, generally have even more harmful air. this is largely due to the steel and concrete fabrication of commercial buildings. These materials absorb the charge of negative ions like magnets. Radiation from space, air, rocks, and even soils adds Negative ions back into the air, as do sunshine, living green trees, and the breakup of water drioplets, as occurs around waterfall and the ocean surf.

Concentration of Negative Ions in Different Environments

Environment Concentration per cubic centimeter
Waterfalls 95,000 - 450,000
Mountains, seashores, breezy forest 50,000 - 100,000
Breezy country meadow 5,000 - 50,000
Cities 100 - 2,000
Rooms and offices 40 - 100
Rooms with Air Conditioner 0 - 20

Diagram of Negative ions formation in Nature :

After thunderstorm or lighting storm, most of us feel invigorated and refreshed, this is because the electrical storm has generated trilliuns of gloriously tranquilizing Negative ions that ease tension and leave us full of energy.
Negative ions refreshed the body and enhance overall well-being.

Today's stressful living and polluted indoor working environments have significantly reduced the level of negative ions found, which may result decrease of the body health.
In office building, in working area, computer terminals, fluorescent lighting, modern bulding materials, forced-air-ventilation-systems, air conditioning depletes the atmosphere of Negative ions, all generate an over abundance of Positive ions, which make us feel tired, depressed and irritable. Conversely an ion generator re-releases the ions that air conditioners remove, Negative ion generators relieve depression as much as antidepressants.
How Negative Ions purify the air ?

All particles in the air have a positive charge, while negative ions have a negative charge. In which case, negative ions and particles magnetically attract to one another. When there is a high enough concentration of negative ions in the air, they will attract to floating particles in large numbers. This causes the particle to become too heavy to remain airborne, as a result, the particle will fall out of the air, preventing it from being inhaled into the respiratory tract where it can trigger breathing and health problems. The ionized particle will then be collected by normal cleaning activities, such as vacuuming or dusting. If the particle happens to be kicked back up into the air again, it will be ionized, and quickly settled out of the air once again. Negative ions are nature's most powerful air-cleansing agents. There is nothing in the world more effective in taking allergens and contaminates out of the air we breathe. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Negative Ions as an allergy treatment.

How do negative ions remove pollutants from the air?

Negatively-charged negative ions attach themselves to contaminates and allergens, which are positively-charged.

The newly-formed larger particles are then able to fall to the ground, and out of the air we breathe.

Most floating contaminants and allergens are positively charged, and of course, Negative ions are negatively charged. In environments where high densities of Negative ions exist, they are able to reverse the charge of floating contaminants to a negative charge, this results in a magnetic attraction among the floating pollutants in the air, causing them to aggregate, or clump together, as a result, they become too heavy to remain floating in the air, and fall harmlessly to the ground, where they cannot find their way into your respiratory tract.

Benefit of Negative ions for human :

Negative Ions - Vitamins of the Air !

Negative ions are odorless, tasteless, and invisible molecules that we inhale in abundance in certain environments, once they reach our bloodstream, Negative ions are believed to produce biochemical reactions that increase levels of the mood chemical serotonin, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and boost our daytime energy.

Negative air ion, the "nutrient of the air" are widely reported to have beneficial effects on humans including enhanced feeling of relaxation, and reduced tiredness, stress levels, irritability, depression, and tenseness, Negative ions act to reduce serotonin levels in the respiratory system, blood and brain, high concentrations of serotonin have been associated with migraine headache attacks, thus an increase in negative ions would be expected to reduce migraine attacks, reduced serotonin levels result in a mentally relaxed state and reduction in feelings of depression. Generally speaking, Negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy. Researchers believe that through control of the electrical charges in the air we breathe, our moods, energy level, and health can be markedly improved!
A room charged with Negative ions was shown to stem bacteria growth and precipitate many airborne contaminants including pollen, dust, dust mites, viruses, second-hand smoke, animal danders, malodours, and toxic chemical fumes.

Negative Ions neutralize free radicals, revitalize cell metabolism and enhance immune function. In addition, they purify the blood and balance the autonomic nervous system, promoting deep sleep and healthy digestion. Negative ions also protect the body and mind from the harmful effects of environmental stressors such as electromagnetic fields.