Inversion Point helps to solve two problems at once: air quality and the global warming effect of methane.
Along with carbon dioxide (CO2), human activity releases large amounts of methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the atmosphere.
The hydroxide (OH) radical, often referred to as the ‘detergent of the atmosphere’, plays a vital role in purifying Earth’s atmosphere. This role was discovered in the 1950s and is responsible for roughly 90% of the natural removal of organic carbons from the atmosphere, which are eventually converted into CO2.
Carbon monoxide and other volatile organic compounds react preferentially with the hydroxide radical, preventing it from breaking down methane as quickly. This means that as levels of carbon monoxide and other VOCs increase in the atmosphere, not only does air quality suffer due to the extra pollutants, the rate of natural methane removal slows down.
By supplementing the natural atmospheric chemistry with additional hydroxide radicals, Inversion Point can accelerate the breakdown of atmospheric pollutants, and the breakdown of methane at the same time.