Plasma Wave Air Cleaners silently remove dust, smoke, pollen, mold and pet dander.  Plasma Hydroxyls neutralize odors, bacteria and flu viruses.  Winix 5-stage air cleaning system includes a washable and anti-bacterial pre-filter, True HEPA filter with 99.99% efficiency, Nano-Silver mesh, washable carbon filter and the PlasmaWave™ Technology. Winix PlasmaWave™ creates Hydroxyls which attack dangerous airborne pollutants such as viruses, bacteria and chemical vapors (VOCs), as well as common household odors caused by pets, tobacco smoke and cooking.  . Below are actual before and after photos of a Winix 9000 prefilter after several months of use in the home of an actual Vitacost customer using two AprilAire electronic air filters (#1 rated at expense of about $1,000 per unit installed) on the central HVAC systems. As you can see, the electronic air filters on central HVAC are failing to remove a massive amount of dust, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, bacteria, viruses, chemicals and other harmful airborne elements:. Before (click to enlarge). After (click to enlarge ). Related Links. Not all air purification units are created equal. Click here to read a ConsumerAffairs.com article on what Consumer Reports had to say about a popular air purification unit. Click here to read Test Data Results on the effectiveness of Winix Air Purification systems. Watch a video on Winix PlasmaWave™ technology. Windows Media Player or Quicktime. Read an article about the top polluted U.S. cities with the worst air. PlasmaWave™. Basic Technology: As it exits the air-cleaning unit, filtered air passes through a corona discharge (a type of electric pulse). This process creates BOTH negative and positive ions - which is air in a plasma state. In Phase Two, the plasma combines with naturally occurring water vapor to form Hydroxyl Radicals (OH, unstable molecules stripped of hydrogen and oxygen atoms). Hydroxyls attack airborne pollutants that include viruses, bacteria, germs, odors, and chemical gases (VOCs). The Pollutants are destroyed in the process while the Hydroxyls reform into water vapor (H2O) or other harmless air molecules. PlasmaWave™ produces NO OZONE or other harmful by-products as it emulates the way nature cleans the air. Five-Stage Cleaning . Step 1 : Washable Anti-Bacterial Pre-Filter. This reusable filter collects large airborne particles such as pollen, dust, pet hair and lint, etc. Step 2 : True HEPA Filter. Captures 99.99% of particles and impurities as small as .3 microns including smoke, dust, pollen, mold spores, and pet dander. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, and like the name says, these filters are designed to remove 99.97% of all airborne pollutants 0.3 microns or larger from the air that passes through the filter (these include tobacco smoke, household dust and pollen) which represents an extremely high filtration capability. This level of filtration can be very helpful for those managing asthma or allergies. One of the best strategies is to keep away from allergens; this level of filtration can help you to do that. The "True" HEPA filter was developed during World War II by the Atomic Energy Commission and it was designed to remove and capture radioactive dust particles from the air which might escape and present a health hazard to the researchers. For a filter to be labeled "True" HEPA, it must be certified at least 99.97% efficient in capturing 0.3 micron respirable-size-particles (RSP) according to the U.S. Military Standard MIL-STD-282, commonly known as the DOP test. Winix PlasmaWave™ Air cleaner 9000 series’ True HEPA filter boast 99.99% efficiency surpassing our competitors’ 99.97% efficiency. Step 3 : Nano-Silver Mesh. A shield of silver particles one billionth of a meter in size neutralizes bacteria on contact. Throughout history, silver has been recognized as one of the most efficient germicides known. While an antibiotic can kill as many as a half-dozen different kinds of disease organisms, silver is known to kill some 650 species of bacteria or viruses simply by coming into contact with them. Particle size has been the only limiting factor to silver's effectiveness. Now through nano-technology, a rapidly growing science of producing and utilizing particles that measure in nanometers (1 billionth of a meter), silver can be used efficiently as an antimicrobial in medicines, filters, clothing and personal hygiene products.  . Step 4 : Washable Carbon Filter. Activated granular carbon effectively collects chemical vapors and odors caused by cigarette smoke, organic decay and cooking. Step 5 : PlasmaWave Technology. In the final stages of cleaning, PlasmaWave generates negatively and positively charged ions that combine with airborne water vapor to form Hydroxyls. Hydroxyls instantly neutralize viruses and bacteria, chemical vapors, odors and gasses in the air. Digital Controls. - Smart Dust and Odor Sensors. - Auto Mode. - Timer Setting. - Light Sensor. - Programmable Remote Control. - 4-Speed Setting. - Sleep Mode. - Change Filter Alert. Smart Sensors . Winix PlasmaWave™ Air Cleaners or, air purifiers, are equipped with Digital Smart Sensors that automatically monitor air quality in your room. As air pollutant level increases, fan speeds will adjust automatically – True “SET-and-Forget” operation! Dust Sensor - Automatically detects the presence of unusually high levels of dust in the air and adjust fan speed accordingly. It will return to previous setting when excessive dust has been removed. Odor Sensor - Automatically detects the presence of intense odors in the air and adjust fan speed accordingly. It will return to previous setting when excessive odors have been neutralized. Light Sensor (9000 series only) - When the room is darkened, automatically activates Sleep mode to ensure continuosly quiet and energy-efficient operation. It changes its mode back to normal Auto mode in case of the presence of light. Product Specifications. Certifications. The Drexel Plasma Institute is a multi-disciplinary research center coordinating the efforts of professors in engineering, medicine, biomedical engineering, and arts and sciences. The Institute is working on new plasma approaches to material treatment, fuel conversion, environmental control and medical applications, as well as fundamental and applied research into new and nontraditional areas of plasma and combustion science. Institute research is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Air Force, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the National Science Foundation, as well as by industrial partners.