A DESIGNER created the largest air purifier in history, which could be used to clear the air in some of the most polluted cities around the world. A trial is set to start in Beijing this September. In addition to removing pollutants from the air that could otherwise find their way into human lungs and blood, the city air purifier also turns smog into jewelry.

    Dutch 36-year-old entrepreneur Daan Roosegaarde first thought of this solution when visiting the Chinese capital two years ago, CNN Money reports. The smog made it impossible for him to admire the city from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of a building.

    Consequently, he designed the Smog Free Tower, a 7-meter-high tower that uses just 1,400 watts of electricity per hour — as much as a tea kettle — to clear some 30,000 cubic meters of air. The tower uses ion technology to capture small pollution particles including PM2.5 and PM10, and to release clean air. The surrounding area is 75 percent cleaner after the Smog Free Tower processes the air.

    “Basically, it’s like when you have a plastic balloon, and you polish it with your hand, it becomes static, electrically charged, and it attracts your hair,” the artist says.

    The smog is compressed into diamond-like jewelry, which is a byproduct of the process. Compressed smog particles are sealed in a resin cube after being put under pressure for 30 minutes, and the resulting objects can be used in jewelry such as rings and cufflinks, which are already being sold.

    The tower has just had a pilot run in Roosegaarde’s hometown of Rotterdam, where his company, Studio Roosegaarde, is headquartered.

    It had a surprising effect on the local environment.

    “For some reason, little rabbits find the space around the tower particularly intriguing. I don’t know why. Perhaps they can feel the difference,” he said.

    After China, Roosegaarde plans to bring the tower around the world — Mexico City and India are destinations under consideration.

    More than 80 percent of people in urban areas are exposed to air quality levels that exceed World Health Organization limits. As urban air quality declines, the risk of diseases such as strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and asthma goes up.

    Small particles, PM10 and PM2.5, are particularly dangerous and affect more people than any other pollutant. The smaller the particle, the more dangerous it is — PM2.5 being so tiny it can easily penetrate the blood and lungs. While all regions of the world are affected, populations in low-income cities are the most impacted, with 98 percent of cities there not meeting WHO air quality guidelines, compared to 56 percent of cities in high-income countries, according to recently released data from WHO.

    Roosegaarde says he has had requests from all over the world to make more towers, but cautions that it is not a miracle solution for improving air quality.

    “But I believe that creating a place where people can live, where they can feel the difference, smell the difference — that is a very powerful motivator.”

    For him, it’s more about drawing attention to the problem.

    “I hope that the designs I make will be part of a mentality change,” says Roosegaarde.

    (SD-Agencies)