(WIVB) – The coronavirus has put many people out of work- but it’s also causing a growth spurt in certain businesses.

Air purifiers were already a popular item before the pandemic- and now as restaurants, shopping centers, and other indoor venues look for ways to keep their customers safe, air purifiers are becoming a hot item, including a device known as the I-Wave.

Tom Wrate of NOCO Energy demonstrated how the I-Wave works.

“The brushes are where the electrodes are, so the ions are coming off those electrodes,” Wrate said.

The device emits negative- and positively charged ions, which Wrate says electrically cleanses the air – neutralizing viruses like COVID-19 or the flu.

“The negatively-charged ions attach to the hydrogen cells in the pathogen and pull it out, which then kills the pathogen in the air,” Wrate explained.

He says the I-Wave can also remove odors in the air the same way.

It’s installed in a furnace, air conditioner, or other HVAC machine, and as the particles or pathogens are neutralized, they either fall harmlessly to the floor or get removed through the air filter.

NOCO bought the I-Wave for clearing the air in its own offices in the Town of Tonawanda, and the air has never been cleaner.

It’s essential for businesses now that the weather is cooler and people are spending more time inside.

Wrate says the I-Wave is also effective at fighting allergies.

“The biggest thing about allergies is, the majority of those allergens are attached to dust particles, skin cells, or whatever is in the air,” Wrate said. “So this helps keep that down so you don’t have those issues.”

The state of New York considers air purifiers capable of neutralizing COVID-19 and other pathogens so essential, that state officials are offering incentives for companies to manufacture that kind of equipment.