  Air pollution is a pernicious but increasingly rampant health problem in
human populations across the globe. Varying duration of exposure to airborne
pollutants can result in a plethora of health conditions, ranging from
short-term bronchitis to prolonged cardiovascular diseases and lung cancers.
Under chronic exposure to pollution, medical treatment for pollutant-caused
health conditions can be quite costly. The most immediate and effective way to
combat the health detriments of pollution is air purifiers, which take in
ambient air and filter out the harmful pollutants before releasing it back into
the surroundings. Filters are highly effective at decreasing air pollution, and
by association, hospitalizations from exposure. An analysis of 52 common air
purifiers was undertaken to compare acquisition and maintenance costs during
severe air pollution levels across four counties in California. This approach
enables the "cost" of clean air to be put into perspective i.e., the price
compared to the cost of healthcare and other expenses, population age, and
pre-existing conditions.
