Exposure to Air Ions in Indoor Environments: Experimental Study with Healthy Adults

Abstract

Since the beginning of the 20th century there has been a scientific debate about the potential effects of air ions on biological tissues, wellbeing and health. Effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory system as well as on mental health have been described. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in this topic. In an experimental indoor setting we conducted a double-blind cross-over trial to determine if higher levels of air ions, generated by a special wall paint, affect cognitive performance, wellbeing, lung function, and cardiovascular function. Twenty healthy non-smoking volunteers (10 female, 10 male) participated in the study. Levels of air ions, volatile organic compounds and indoor climate factors were determined by standardized measurement procedures. Air ions affected the autonomous nervous system (in terms of an increase of sympathetic activity accompanied by a small decrease of vagal efferent activity): In the test room with higher levels of air ions (2194/cm3 vs. 1038/cm3) a significantly higher low to high frequency ratio of the electrocardiography (ECG) beat-to-beat interval spectrogram was found. Furthermore, six of nine subtests of a cognitive performance test were solved better, three of them statistically significant (verbal factor, reasoning, and perceptual speed), in the room with higher ion concentration. There was no influence of air ions on lung function and on wellbeing. Our results indicate slightly activating and cognitive performance enhancing effects of a short-term exposure to higher indoor air ion concentrations.

Negative Air Ions and Their Effects on Human Health and Air Quality Improvement

“…There are many references to report the possible biological effects [ 24 , 32 , 33 , 35 , 38 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 , 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 , 119 , 120 , 121 , 122 , 123 , 124 ]. And some of them were listed in Table S2 .…”

“…At least 4 oxidation states of oxygen have been identified including O 2 (dioxygen), O 2 + (dioxygen cation), O 2 • − (superoxide) and O 2 2− (peroxide dianion) [ 126 ]. The monovalent reduction of O 2 gives birth to O 2 •− , which serves as both a radicle and a negative ion; thus, the radicle sign “ • ” is added [ 116 ]. Therefore, superoxide O 2 •− is a kind of negative oxygen ions, which was documented by several reports [ 28 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 127 ].…”

Introducing a Dynamic Workstation in the Office: Insights in Characteristics of Use and Short-Term Changes of Well-Being in a 12 Week Observational Study

“…By reducing the dimensions being represented by two bipolar arranged items, a dimensional analysis of reliability was not possible. Despite that, short versions of the EZ-scale are used to assess the concept of well-being in other repeated measures study designs [ 70 , 71 ].…”

Studying and substantiation of the method for normalization of air­ionic regime at industrial premises at the ultrasonic ionization of air

“…However, it does not consider the issue of regulation of air-ionic composition of air in industrial premises for the purpose of integrated assessment of sanitary and hygienic working conditions. At present, we know only works devoted to research on improvement of the air-ionic composition of dwelling houses [18,19] due to a use of new grades of primers and paints that contribute to increase in the concentration of negative air-ions during repairs.…”