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Molekule Review and Refutation of Misinformed Claims About PECO Technology Efficacy

Molekule has invalidated claims made against its revolutionary Air systems, responding with scientific evidence that shows the efficacy of its PECO technology.


This post is sponsored by Molekule

Following the publication of a Wirecutter article that makes misinformed, sensational, and factually inaccurate statements about Molekule’s Air device, the air purification specialists have published a blog post refuting the article’s claims. Molekule has responded with a wealth of scientific evidence that shows PECO technology’s ability to destroy bacteria, viruses, and other pollutants,that their revolutionary nanotechnology destroys pollutants at the molecular level; that their technology is effective to address air pollution; and that their technology will break down even the smallest of allergens, like pollen, dust mites and dander. 

Molekule is not the first competitor that Dyson has targeted in the air purification market with this approach. Wirecutter’s coverage of the matter conveys multiple misleading, sensationalized statements, about the National Advertising Division process, Molekule’s air systems, and the outcome. The Wirecutter article references a report from spring of 2019, which highlights a proceeding initiated by Dyson with the National Advertising Division (NAD), leading to an appeal with the National Advertising Review Board (NARB) (collectively “NAD”).   

The National Advertising Review Board’s Findings

It’s important to recognize that NAD is an advertising self-regulatory board and part of the private company, the Better Business Bureau. Meaning, the NAD typically considers substantiation and specific marketing language only when a challenger initiates a case. NAD does not evaluate marketing claims on an ongoing basis, analyze and approve scientific data, or provide a holistic view of products. Therefore, the NAD proceedings initiated by Dyson in early 2019 only consider marketing and advertising campaigns from the very specific point in time in which the claim was filed.

Importantly, the NAD did not dispute the scientific validity of Molekule’s statements on the general efficacy of the Air device. It confirmed that Molekule’s revolutionary technology destroys pollutants at the molecular level and effectively targets air pollution. NAD also confirmed that Molekule’s PECO technology breaks down even the smallest allergens, such as VOCs, mold, bacteria, viruses, pollen, dust, mites, and dander.

NAD recommended that Molekule discontinue certain claims or conduct additional testing pursuant to NAD’s recommendations. The company has since undertaken such testing. Since then, Molekule has further obtained valuable data, results, and credentials from recognized third-party air-quality laboratories across the United States. Unfortunately, the NAD decision does not take into account subsequent testing, and the Wirecutter article fails to reference Molekule’s successes. The recent article refers only to outdated and inaccurate information.

Molekule’s Credentials and Success

As a science-backed organization, Molekule is always seeking research opportunities to test the efficiency of its air purification technology. Over the last 18 months, Molekule has tested its devices against various international standards designed explicitly for device-level testing in real-world situations. 

The following organizations have each undertaken a rigorous Molekule review to test and certify the air purification systems.

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory tested Molekule Air’s ability to destroy common volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) and ozone. The test concluded that Molekule Air could reduce limonene by 95 percent, toluene by 94 percent, and formaldehyde by over 50 percent. All compounds were continuously injected into the air during the investigation.

Intertek

The nationally recognized testing laboratory Intertek investigated Molekule systems’ capture efficiency. The results concluded that Molekule Air could reduce 85 percent of smoke-sized particles (0.3 to 1 micron in size) in 22 minutes. 

Intertek also carried out a separate investigation into Molekule’s PECO technology ability to destroy the virus Phi X 174. The Molekule review found that PECO technology reduced the concentration of the SARS-CoV-2 proxy virus by 98.7 percent in just two hours.

Aerosol Research and Engineering Laboratories

Data from Aerosol Research and Engineering Laboratories shows Molekule’s technology could reduce MS2 Bacteriophage (a proxy virus for SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and measles) by up to 99.999 percent within two hours.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The Food and Drug Administration cleared the premarket notification for Molekule’s air purification technology, classifying the Air Pro RX system as a 510(k) Class II Medical Device intended for medical purposes to destroy bacteria & viruses in the air.

These valuable scientific findings outweigh the distorted claims made in the article, founded on outdated information, and do not consider official tests on PECO technology. It should be noted that Wirecutter does not have the lab capability to test PECO technology, as they have admitted, so it is in no position to evaluate its effectiveness. Nor did Wirecutter test for chemicals or biologically active particles, such as allergens, viruses, bacteria, in any manner. It simply burned matches to represent all pollutants. While we’ve tried to reach out multiple times to Wirecutter, they continue to decline to report the facts.

The National Advertising Division’s Recommendations

Following NAD’s recommendations, Molekule has modified its marketing materials to make clear that it destroys pollutants rather than eliminates them, which could be misinterpreted to mean a guarantee of sterile environments. 

Additionally, Molekule can continue to claim that its PECO technology destroys allergens and asthma-triggering particles. Further, Molekule is updating its graphs showing specific amounts of particle reduction to include data from its updated testing. As Molekule is a heavily science-based organization, it consistently updates its collateral in line with up-to-date research and data.

 

The Science Behind PECO Technology

Molekule has spent over two decades researching how air can be cleaned effectively to improve patients’ health and wellness in medical settings, staff in offices, and families in domestic settings. 

At the core of Molekule’s research and development is advanced Photo electrochemical oxidation (PECO) technology to achieve advanced decontamination and minimize bacterial and fungal counts. PECO technology is a nano-coated filter in Molekule’s Air systems that oxidizes and mineralizes airborne pathogens, converting these contaminants into trace elements. The technology destroys pollutants at .1 nanometers. All air purifiers with PECO technology meet performance criteria in FDA guidelines for use in helping reduce the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

Wirecutter argues that the most effective air purification devices need big fans and HEPA filters, but Molekule’s scientific evidence and extensive testing show the use of a much higher level of technology to destroy airborne particles. Molekule will continue to work with leading industry scientists to verify and advance PECO technology, publish its findings in peer-reviewed journals, and announce them at scientific conferences.

Read Molekule’s full response blog post, including a comment from the CEO and video message at: https://molekule.science/the-full-story-behind-molekule-advertising-claims/

 

About Molekule

Molekule’s mission is to destroy indoor air pollution for everyone, capturing bacteria, viruses, and other dangerous particles that are most difficult to eradicate. Molekule envisages a world where every home can have clean air in every room. 

Molekule’s product range includes:

  • Air: designed to destroy pollutants in rooms up to 600 square feet.
  • Air Mini: designed to destroy pollutants in rooms up to 250 square feet.
  • Air Mini+: designed to detect particles and destroy pollutants in rooms up to 250 square feet.
  • Air Pro RX: designed to destroy pollutants in hospitals and medical facilities.

As a leading air purification company, Molekule reviews and consistently tests its technology to measure the effective capture of dangerous particles in all settings. Molekule’s systems are trialed, tested, and validated by a range of third-party laboratories and in-house testing systems. As a result, Molekule has produced technological developments, unlike any other that the air purification market has seen.

Molekule’s acclaimed air purification technology has been pronounced the Edison Awards Consumer Goods Winner (2020), one of the Time 25 Best Inventions (2017), and one of Popular Science’s 10 Greatest Inventions of the Year (2016).

Learn more about Molekule’s air purification systems at https://molekule.com

Article Editor

Pamela is a television journalist, humor writer and novelist. Her first novel, Allegedly, was released in 2015 by St. Martin’s Press. The book is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. She and her husband, Daniel, have a 3-year-old son, Carter.

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