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Technology

5 Stages of Clinical-Grade Filtration.

JADE® 2.0, ONYX SCA®, and ATOMIKAIR® run a multi-stage system. QUARTZAIR® adds a Revitalizing Negative Ion Chamber to its 4-stage filtration. COBALT® uses a focused 2-stage MERV-16 HEPA-RX dual-filter design optimized for ceiling-mounted operation. Here's how each stage works — and why we don't cut corners.

5-Stage Filtration Breakdown

  1. 1

    Pre-Filter

    Washable mesh captures large particles — dust, hair, lint — and protects the downstream HEPA media. Rinse every 1-3 months.

  2. 2

    Activated Carbon

    Granular activated carbon adsorbs odors, VOCs, and chemical fumes from dental and medical procedures.

  3. 3

    HEPA-Rx

    Captures 99.97% of airborne particles ≥0.3 microns — including bacteria, mold spores, allergens, and aerosolized droplets.

  4. 4

    Photocatalytic Oxidation

    PCO breaks down organic compounds at the molecular level, converting pollutants into harmless CO₂ and water vapor.

  5. 5

    UV-C Germicidal

    Enclosed UV-C light neutralizes viruses and bacteria as air passes through the chamber. Zero exposure to people in the room.

Stages by Model

Stage count varies by intended use case — clinical units carry the full system, the compact unit drops UV-C and PCO to keep size + cost down.

  • QUARTZAIR®

    4-Stage

    Compact rooms — pre-filter, carbon, HEPA-Rx, UV-C + Revitalizing Negative Ion Chamber

  • JADE® 2.0

    5-Stage

    Operatories + exam rooms — full 5-stage incl. UV-C

  • ONYX SCA®

    5-Stage

    Wall-mounted classrooms + open bays — full 5-stage incl. UV-C

  • COBALT®

    2-Stage

    Ceiling drop-in — MERV 16 HEPA-RX dual-filter design

  • ATOMIKAIR®

    5-Stage

    Industrial-scale — MERV-13 + carbon for warehouses + audited facilities

Technology Questions

  • Is 5-stage really better than HEPA alone?

    HEPA alone captures particles. 5-stage adds odor adsorption (carbon), pathogen neutralization (UV-C), and molecular breakdown (PCO). For clinical environments where aerosols + chemicals + pathogens all coexist, single-technology purifiers leave gaps.

  • How is this different from a consumer HEPA purifier?

    Consumer purifiers are sized for residential dust + pollen at low CADR. SCA units run continuous duty at 250-1,171 CFM, use HEPA-Rx (vs. "HEPA-type"), and are UL/ETL listed for clinical environments where the unit cannot fail under load.

  • Why both PCO and UV-C? Aren't they the same?

    PCO breaks down organic compounds via a catalytic reaction at low UV. UV-C germicidal light neutralizes pathogens via direct DNA disruption. They target different problems and run together for complete air handling.

See the proof.

The Clinicians Report® evaluation, third-party lab testing, and certification details all live on the science page.

See the ScienceCompare Models