Positive and negative ions by air purifier have no effects on embryo-fetal development in rats

Air purifiers, which release positive and negative ions generated by an electric discharge into the air, have been widely used in common households. In this study, the developmental toxicity potential of the ionized air containing positive and negative ions was evaluated in SD rats [Crl:CD(SD)] following whole-body inhalation to obtain preliminary information for the definitive study. Two groups of 10 pregnant female rats were exposed to the ionized air at concentrations of 0 and 7,000,000 ions/cm(3) for 6 hr per day from Days 6 to 19 of gestation. All dams underwent a cesarean section on Day 20 of gestation and their fetuses were examined externally, viscerally, and skeletally for morphological changes. The ionized air had no effects on dams in terms of clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, gravid uterine weights, corrected body weight by gravid uterine weight, or necropsy findings. In addition, there were no effects on the maintenance of pregnancy, including abortion or premature delivery. No exposure-related changes were detected in the number of corpora lutea, implantations, dead embryos, or live fetuses, implantation loss, live fetal weights, sex ratio, or placental weight or features. Fetal examination revealed no external, visceral, or skeletal anomalies or variations caused by the ionized air, nor were there any changes in degree of ossification. Although this study did not fully adhere to the current guidelines because of a smaller number of animals per group, it was suggested that the ionized air has no maternal toxicity or embryo-fetal toxicity in rats.