What is the primary function of an air-purifying respirator?

The primary function of an air-purifying respirator is to remove specific air contaminants from ambient air. These respirators work through various filtration mechanisms that target particular hazardous substances, such as dust, smoke, vapors, or gases that may be present in the environment.

Air-purifying respirators do not supply air from a separate source, which distinguishes them from supplied-air respirators that deliver clean, breathable air externally. Additionally, they are not designed to provide oxygen for emergency situations, as they rely on the existing oxygen in the surrounding environment. While they do filter airborne particles to a certain extent, they are not engineered to eliminate all airborne contaminants, as their effectiveness is dependent on their design and the specific filters used. Thus, the focus of an air-purifying respirator is clearly on the removal of selected contaminants to ensure that the user can breathe in a safer environment.