Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. News

The Molekule Air Pro RX is FDA-cleared to kill viruses and bacteria

By

In the ongoing fight against the coronavirus, people have questioned whether an air purifier would be of any assistance in reducing the risk of exposure. While many air purifiers do not filter at a level small enough to inhibit the virus, Molekule has just announced the Air Pro RX, a new medical-grade air purifier, has received 510(k) Class II Medical Device clearance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Air Pro RX uses the same PECO filters as other Molekule devices and is intended to capture and destroy bacteria and viruses in the air. While the Air Pro RX is intended for use in medical facilities, Molekule says there are plans to release a commercial-grade air purifier for use in office buildings, schools, grocery stores, and other high-traffic locations.

Recommended Videos

Third-party labs tested the Air Pro RX and found it removed up to 99.999% of SARS-CoV-2 proxy viruses. One lab tested the device’s ability to eliminate Phi X 174, a virus with many similarities to SARS-CoV-2, and found it reduced concentrations of the virus by 98.7% over two hours. Another virus with similarities to influenza was reduced by 99.999% within 24 hours.

A few hospitals have already announced plans to implement the Air Pro RX in its facilities to help safeguard frontline healthcare workers and visitors by placing the air purifiers in waiting rooms and emergency rooms.

air-pro-rx-molekule
Image used with permission by copyright holder

To receive FDA guidance, a medical device must meet all recommended guidelines. The Air Pro RX meets the performance criteria recommended by the FDA guidelines for reducing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare settings and has proven more effective than comparable air purifiers.

The Air Pro RX is designed to begin working as soon as it is plugged in, with no prior setup required. It uses two filters: a Pre-Filter for capturing large particles, and a PECO (Photo Electrochemical Oxidation) filter to capture smaller particles like bacteria and viruses. The Air Pro RX can be cleaned and sanitized using the same wipe-down protocol standard in most medical facilities.

With technology capable of reducing the spread of some of the most common and harmful viruses and bacteria, the Air Pro RX is in a prime position to protect healthcare workers and hospital visitors. In time, commercial versions of this device will improve the air quality of public areas and make a trip to the grocery store that much safer.

Correction: This article previously stated the Molekule Air Pro RX is FDA-certified. It’s been cleared, but not certified.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Patrick Hearn
Patrick Hearn
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
Can you run an air purifier and essential oil diffuser at the same time?
URPOWER Essential Oil Diffuser.

At first glance, air purifiers and essential oil diffusers seem like they would be natural opponents. One is designed to take particles from the air in your home, and the other is designed to add (pleasant-smelling) particles instead. If you’re running them both in the same room, it’s understandable to wonder if they’re canceling each other out.

Fortunately, it’s easy to clear this confusion up. Let’s take a look at some FAQs about these two home air devices and what you should know about using them both at the same time.
What's the difference between an air purifier and an air diffuser?
An air purifier uses a filter or series of filters to remove unwanted particles from your home’s air. They are commonly used to get rid of airborne allergens, smoke, and dust, and they can also help remove bacteria and viruses from the air. The best air purifiers use true HEPA filters that can remove particles down to the size of 0.3 microns, and some newer models can remove particles as small as 0.1 microns.

Read more
How long do I run my air purifier?
The Coway Airmega purifier.

In previous guides, we’ve discussed how today’s smart air purifiers work and what specs to look at when getting the right size for your room or house -- like CADR, or Clean Air Delivery Rate. But air purifiers can only cycle through a room’s air when they are turned on … which leads us to another important question: Just how long should you run your air purifier? Can you run it for too long? Don’t worry, we have all the answers.
How long should I run my air purifier?
The air quality inside your home is always changing, and the impact of your air purifier will depend on its size -- especially whether you want to clear up a single room or the whole house. In general, you can run an air purifier for a few hours a day and expect it to give the air in its space a thorough cleaning. If you’re only looking at one smaller room, half an hour to an hour can have the same result. That schedule can give you all the benefits that an air purifier offers without requiring it to be on all the time -- but you’ll want to run it at least once a day for best effect.

Do air purifier settings make a difference when running it?
They do. Most air purifiers have several fan settings that affect how quickly they push air through, in exchange for using more power and making more noise. If you only have a few hours a day to clean the air in your home and would prefer not to leave the purifier on when you are away, turn it to its maximum setting and let it run. Just note that max settings on most air purifiers will be too loud to hold a meeting in the same room.
Is it safe to run an air purifier all the time?
Yes. Air purifiers are generally designed to be run all the time if you prefer to. You can put the purifier on its lowest setting to diminish noise and let it run throughout the day.

Read more
The new Wyze Air Purifier offers quiet, efficient filtration
The Wyze Air Purifier is quiet enough for use in any room.

Wyze has announced a new air purifier with three different filter options. You can choose which filter you want at purchase, but the other filters can be purchased at a later date and swapped out on the fly as needed.

The Wyze Air Purifier filter options include the Allergen (Standard) filter, the Formaldehyde (Premium) filter, and the Wildfire filter. It utilizes a true HEPA filter for 99.97% efficiency in eliminating harmful, airborne particles such as dander, pollen, and even smoke. The purifier has enough power to clean a 500-square-foot room up to three times an hour, and it's not too loud even on the highest setting. The sound ranges from 21 decibels in its sleep mode to 54 decibels on its highest level -- roughly the same volume as a refrigerator's hum.

Read more