When formaldehyde is present in the air at levels exceeding 0.1 ppm, some individuals may experience adverse effects such as watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes, nose and throat, coughing, wheezing, nausea and skin irritation.
Formaldehyde is a colourless chemical that is used in building materials and to produce many household products.
Priced at Rs 61,900, the new Dyson air purifier and heater destroys formaldehyde continuously at a molecular level, transforming this harmful gas into small amounts of water and Carbon Dioxide.
"Formaldehyde is 500 times smaller than PM0.1, and it is particularly difficult to capture. Our chemist team has been searching for various methods to solve this problem since 2016. We have tested more than 20 different catalysts before identifying Cryptomelane. Our obsessive approach to engineering has led us to take a different approach," explained Dr Nathan Brown, Head of Research for Environmental Control at Dyson.
Living in the era of the "indoor generation", we are breathing in more pollutants indoors as we are spending up to 90 per cent of our time behind closed doors.
Many everyday household items can emit formaldehyde, including pressed wood products, antiseptics and cleaning agents, carpets, permanent press fabrics, cigarettes, cosmetics, paints and varnishes.
Dyson engineers along with SGS China, an independent advanced testing establishment, recently conducted a study on indoor air quality for Delhi NCR homes using Dyson technology.
The study found the average quantity of formaldehyde to be 169.1 mg/kg, while the maximum value in a home was found to be 649 mg/kg.
"Harnessing Dyson's expertise in chemistry, sensing, filtration and fluid dynamics, Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Cryptomic machines are engineered to be the total air purification solution for your home -- removing ultra-fine particles, odours, gases and destroying formaldehyde, continuously," said Charlie Park, Global Category Director for Environmental Control.
The air purifier automatically senses the indoor air pollution and activates the machine to purify throughout the whole room, capturing 99.95 per cent of ultrafine particles and destroying formaldehyde continuously.
Dyson air purifiers can separately display four pollutants -- PM2.5, PM10, VOCs and NO2.
A LCD display shows which particles and gases the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Cryptomic machines are automatically sensing in real time.
A unique Dyson algorithm processes the input from three sensors and then displays air quality readings in real time.
With thermostat heat control, the machine automatically keeps the room at the target temperature.
The heating function will switch to stand-by mode once the target is reached and will switch back on once it senses a drop in the temperature, the company said.
The Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Cryptomic air purifier and heater is available in a white and gold colour across online and offline platforms in India.
SEE ALSO:
Pollution woes: Giant air purifiers to be installed in East Delhi soon