Breathe Easier With Probiotics and The BetterAir Biotica800 Air Purifier

The Biotica800 air purifier uses probiotics to clean the air in your home

This story is part of Tech for Change: an ongoing series in which we shine a spotlight on positive uses of technology, and showcase how they're helping to make the world a better place.

When you think of probiotics, you probably think of your gut. Seriously — the typical use of a probiotic is to encourage the growth of healthy bacteria in the digestive system. You can buy them over the counter in pill form, or you can just eat as much yogurt as you want. Either way, you want the germs to grow because they’re healthy germs. BetterAir has taken that same approach and applied it to air purification.

The BetterAir Biotica800 uses probiotics to purify the air in your home or workspace by spreading patented Enviromental Probiotics, or Enviro-botics, through the home. These probiotics are able to penetrate spaces that a normal air purifier cannot, such as the carpet and the drapes. Rather than waiting for air to pass through a filter, the probiotics work on the causes of indoor air pollution at the source.

BetterAir calls it a “simple, natural solution” that avoids the use of harsh chemicals or UV light to kill harmful bacteria and pathogens. It claims the probiotics supposedly eliminate and trap pet dander, dust mites, and other allergens on the surfaces of your home, while consuming the organic resources that allow mold and bacteria to grow. Since the probiotics are a type of living bacteria, there is no risk of the harmful bacteria growing resistant to the neutralizing effects.

According to BetterAir, the effects of the Biotica800 can take anywhere from three to five weeks to become apparent. Due to the nature of the probiotics, the effects are not immediate like they would be with a chemical or UV light — but they are supposed to be longer-lasting than other solutions. This would benefit anyone with a sensitivity to chemicals.

A standard BetterAir probiotic cartridge is said to last 3 months or 90 days under typical use. Refills can be ordered directly from the BetterAir website. The Biotica800 has a one-year manufacturer’s warranty, but can last “for many years of use” if taken care of. The Biotica800 starts at $299 and includes free shipping. If you want to have as little environmental impact as possible, then a probiotic-based air purification system might be worth checking out.

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