On an air purifier appliance, how does the ionizer work to clean the air?

At high concentrations the ozone produced by such a machine is lethal, but in machines designed for everyday use, most people are not bothered by it. I could give a shot at explaining, but I prefer to defer to to @LuckyGuy. He actually has made one, and could explain it very well. I’ll send this question to him.

I’m sorry I am late to answer.
In general, ionizers clean the air by emitting ions, electrically charged particles, that attract the microscopic dirt particles floating in the air. The particles aggregate (clump together) and eventually fall to the ground so you do not inhale them. You need to vacuum them up with a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter.
Most ionizers generate ozone as a byproduct. The legal limit for ozone out of a consumer air cleaner is 0.05 ppm. That is about the level where most people can smell it.

Thank you, @LuckyGuy, for your reply. I appreciate your taking time to answer.
Please see PM for a followup.