Why Airora Inactivates Pathogens 

but Not Environmental Bacteria

Pathogens are bacteria and viruses which are harmful to humans. Bacteria which exist in the environment, but which are not harmful to humans, are referred to as non-pathogenic.

Because pathogens spend most of their time within humans, they have not evolved alongside of hydroxyl radicals and have thus have developed no defences against hydroxyl radicals.

Conversely, Non-pathogenic bacteria have evolved alongside hydroxyl radicals for millennia and have evolved various mechanisms to combat oxidative stress. 

Some of the common mechanisms are:

1. Enzymatic antioxidants: Non-pathogenic bacteria produce various enzymes that act as antioxidants to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) and prevent oxidative damage. Examples of these enzymes include superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidases.
2. Non-enzymatic antioxidants: Non-pathogenic bacteria also produce non-enzymatic antioxidants such as glutathione, ascorbic acid, an tocopherols that scavenge ROS and protect the cell from oxidative damage.
3. DNA repair mechanisms: Oxidative stress can cause damage to DNA, which can lead to mutations and cell death. Non-pathogenic bacteria have various DNA repair mechanisms such as base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair, and homologous recombination that repair DNA damage caused by ROS.
4. Heat shock proteins: Non-pathogenic bacteria produce heat shock proteins that help protect the cell from oxidative stress. These proteins act as molecular chaperones and help maintain protein stability and prevent protein misfolding caused by oxidative stress.
5. Metal detoxification: Some non-pathogenic bacteria use metal ions such as iron and copper to catalyze oxidative reactions. However, excess metal ions can generate ROS and cause oxidative damage. Non-pathogenic bacteria have various mechanisms to detoxify excess metal ions and prevent oxidative stress caused by metal toxicity.

Overall, non-pathogenic bacteria have evolved various mechanisms to combat oxidative stress and maintain cellular homeostasis.