Open often the windows
Use the doormat at the entrance and adopt shoes-off policy
Vacuum and wash the floor and surfaces regularly
Groom and bath your pets, clean their beds
Avoid covering up odours with aerosol spray, candles, incense
Minimize carpeting
Ban smoking and combustions (fireplaces, candles, cigarette, cigars, burnt cooking)
Check rooms temperature and humidity (30–50% recommended humidity level)
Remove mold that can release allergy-causing substances
Clean or change filters regularly
Use natural & eco-friendly, unscented cleaning products
Be aware of the furniture and building materials you buy
Measure the level of radon
Invest in an air purification and sanitizer system
The filter was tested on the Covid-19 infectious virus (SARS-CoV2) by the Viral Pathogenesis and Biosecurity Unit of San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, guided by Dr.Elisa Vicenzi.
TOTAL DEACTIVATION OF THE VIRUS IN 30 MINUTES ONLY – In the graph below the results of the viral title reduction are shown (expressed in plaque forming unit PFU/ml) calculated by counting test’s plaques by the San Raffaele Hospital – Viral Pathogenesis and Biosecurity Unit.
The data reveal that in 10 minutes the infectious viral level of SARS-CoV-2 was deactivated by 98%; in 20 minutes by over 99,8%. After 30 minutes of treatment the virus was definitely deactivated.
NANOHUB devices, through the implementation of the new patented filter guarantee the prosecution in the objectives of indoor air quality improvement and maintenance, equally ensuring the containment and slowdown of the SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
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NANOHUB devices are developed solutions based on the employment of innovative nanomaterials for the energy efficiency and the environments’ quality, for people’s wellness and the food products’ protection and conservation.
These solutions are mainly implemented in the following applications fields:
THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID19 – In the medical emergency given from the diffusion of Covid-19, research was concentrated on the realization of a new filter/ filtering system composed of a metal mesh photocatalytic reactor on which a tungsten trioxide based (WO3) photocatalyst has been placed, and of a fabric filter, which improves the filter effectiveness on bacterial and viral load.
This new patented filter was tested on the SARS-CoV-2 virus (responsible for Covid-19) by the Viral Pathogenesis and Biosecurity Unit of San Raffaele Hospital in Milan. The test proved the effectiveness of the virus deactivation: In only 10 minutes the infective SARS-CoV-2 viral load was deactivated by 98%; in 20 minutes by over 99.8%. In 30 minutes, the virus was completely deactivated.
MAJOR APPLICATIONS AND PRODUCTS DEVELOPED BY NANOHUB:
Numerous are the areas of benefit: hospitals, medical offices, elderly housing, domestic spaces, schools, offices, shops, large retailers, industrial and productive plants, and all the transport sector (trucks/trains/planes).
The collaboration with Universities, internal research and development activities on photocatalysts and on innovative materials, the partnerships established with different industries, the partners’ competences and the organizational and corporate structure enable NANOHUB to promote a continuous development model for innovative solutions and to reach relevant economic and financial targets.
]]>According to the statistical data from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air pollution is 5 times higher than outdoor air especially in developing countries.Indoor and outdoor air is full of particulate matter (or particle pollution) and is considered by the World Health Organization as the main environmental risk factor for the health of the population.
Of the same advice is the Italian Institute of Health (ISS).
The ISS GUIDELINES FOR THE GOOD AIR QUALITY underlines and suggests some actions for the periodic sanitization of rooms through the implementation of technologies using ozone, chlorine, peroxide or UVC rays, which can be realized only in absence of people and with qualified personnel for the use of those technologies. The ISS also recommends some products for cleaning, sanitising and disinfection of surfaces – but concerning the maintenance of good air quality the regulations only specify the period air change (air renewal) and some rules for the use of air conditioning systems. In particular, the air renewal normally occurs by substituting the air taken from outside through simple operations such as opening the windows or activating mechanical ventilation systems for filtering or treating air from a thermal or hygrometric point of view before the release into the environment.
In the “ISS Report COVID-19 n. 5/2020” is expressly stated that “concerning sanitization, in respect to the regulations in force, is meant the complex of procedures and operations of cleaning/disinfection and the maintenance of a good air quality”.
Fonts:
https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_1
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/introduction-indoor-air-quality
https://actu.epfl.ch/news/indoor-air-quality-merits-closer-attention/
THE NEW PHOTOCATALYST ACTIVE IN THE VISIBLE LIGHT SPECTRUM – The development of a new photocatalyst tungsten trioxide based (WO3), significantly incremented the photocatalysis effectiveness and solved the problem of the UV light employment. When exposed to visible light, the WO3 absorbs and converts the light energy into electron and electron-holes. WO3 reacts with water (air humidity) to produce hydroxyl radicals (OH-) and with oxygen to produce superoxide anions (O2-). Billions of these high oxidant species are created in billionths of a second and work to decompose matter at molecular level. The result is an effective decomposition of the polluting organic and inorganic substances (comparable to all fine particles PM2.5-PM10), of microbes, viruses, nitrogen oxides, aromatic polycondensates, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, methanol, ethanol, benzene, ethylbenzene, nitrogen monoxide and dioxide, etc. The strong oxidative effect permits to use the tungsten trioxide based photocatalyst as photocatalytic disinfectant. Although several research studied the photocatalytic inactivation of bacteria, only a few tackle the virus inactivation. The effects resulted from the employment of photocatalytic solutions on viruses are reported below.
Photocatalysis and mycroorganisms
It has been proved that photocatalysis can trigger a degradation in case of simple compounds (protein and DNA), an inhibitory effect in case of viruses and bacteria, and an anti-cancer effect in the case of complex cells, like in regards of pollen and spores causing allergies.
Reseach on virus transformation through photocatalysis has been executed in aqueous or liquid environment or with the method of direct contact between the organism and the surface. There are two levels of photocatalytic attack:
PHOTOINACTIVATION or PHOTODISACTIVATION, resulting in a DISINFECTING effect
DECOMPOSITION/KILLING viral cell, resulting in a STERILIZING effect
The inactivation mechanism of the virus via photocatalysis has still to be definitively cleared, although it has already been proved the effectiveness of the system with laboratory tests by the use of several microorganisms types and having achieved an almost complete result in the attack.
It seems like that the attack starts on the virus particles through their absorption on the catalyst surface, following the attack to the protein capsid and the virus binding sites (Redox direct attack). According to others, the inactivation behaviour of viruses is regulated by the hydroxylic radicals •O2 – and OH• and by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), such as •O2 -, OH– H2O •HO, free in the mass phase – and not by those bounded to the catalyst surface. The following decomposition mechanism involves the degradation of the cellular wall and of the cytoplasmic membrane, as a consequence of the ROS production. This process initially brings to the leakage of cell content, after to cell lysis, until a complete mineralization of the organism. The closer the contact between the virus and the catalyst, the more effective the killing will be.
Although taking into consideration the environmental conditions of the interface, the reactive species have a range that can reach 2 mm from the active surface.
The importance of the surface on which to install the photocatalyst
The photocatalytic surface exploited for the reaction is composed of a matrix or substrate containing uniformly dispersed photocatalyst particles, or else made of a thin film completing coating the substrate.
Not every material is adequate for this scope, depending on the chemical stability of the agents in contact with the surface or matrix in which their inserted. Those have chemical stability on plastics, fibre, fabrics and metals (with a nearly neutral pH).
The materials’ surface may be further modified to enhance the degrading effect.
For instance, it has been proved that the killing activity of the microorganisms can be further boosted in presence of other antimicrobial agents, such as silica and vitreous substances containing copper (Cu+ e Cu2+) and silver (Ag+) ions, or products composed of complexed metallic silver (colloidal silver), which behave as additional reservoir of active substances capable of attacking microorganisms.
Concerning air treatment, it is important that the filters have the widest contact surface with air and low resistance to airflow, for energetic consumption and noise reasons.