Although the fight against COVID-19 continues to rag around the world, the virus has caused great concern about the personal space and the air we breathe. A new trend is to wear portable or necklace-style air purifiers to avoid pollutants, allergens and even COVID-19-although there are many other epidemic-related gadgets that are becoming popular. But are these wearable air purifiers-also called personal air purifiers or portable air purifiers-useful?

Wearable or necklace-style air purifiers are just a tiny version of the same type of gadget you might put in the corner of your home. These air purifiers are usually worn on a chain or lanyard around the neck, and are also equipped with carabiner or clips, so you can tie them to your bag, belt, rearview mirror, etc.

To help understand whether wearable or necklace air purifiers are beneficial to you, it will be helpful to understand some air purification technologies and actual conditions.

Air purifiers in the home have a variety of technologies that can help trap or destroy pollutants, chemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOC), smoke, and even viruses by sucking these molecules into the filter. They may generate electric charges to attract and trap particles. They may also use various filters, including HEPA filters, to retain those unwanted particles and prevent them from returning to the air. Air purifiers usually use fans or circulation devices to suck in particles so that they can contain them.

Let us apply the logic of "attract and capture" to personal or wearable air purifiers. The touted idea is that these devices can trap your unwanted particles in small purification devices that you wear on your neck, belt or clipped to your backpack, thereby resisting unwanted particles. Sounds great, right?

Except, think of it this way: Although an air purifier running in the corner of your home may have additional benefits, it can take pollutants away from you, expel them from the air, and enter yourself. Wear one on your neck. Purifiers-close to your mouth and nose-may have harmful side effects, inhaling these pollutants directly into your breathing holes.

Although the wearable air purifier may actually be performing the job of attracting and trapping particles, the question is whether you want it to be right on your head.

One of the newer versions of this technology puts an air filtration system in a mask. This may be the best way to use a portable air purifier; your nose and mouth are sealed by a face mask, and the air you breathe is filtered by a purification system, so you won't accidentally breathe wayward particles.

These wearable devices also come in very different options and sizes. They may be as small as a smartphone, hanging inconspicuously on your chest, or they may look like huge futuristic collars worn around your neck. They may be suitable for sitting at a desk in a busy office, but you may not want to wear this device around town-for example, certainly not when you are trying to exercise.

Wearable air purifiers can indeed help remove particles in the air that you don’t want to breathe, but some people may not like the idea of ​​inhaling unwanted smoke or fumes into the body. Either way, it is always a good idea to consult a health professional before making any decision that may affect your health and well-being.

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