A new air filtration system has been developed that can kill viruses and other organic materials through oxidation. The Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS) collaborated with the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM) to create the system as part of the “CoClean-up” project. The system works by introducing air into a salt solution, which is then subjected to an electric current generated by two electrodes. The viruses and other organic materials in the air are trapped in the solution and oxidized to CO2 by one of the electrodes, while the other electrode produces small amounts of hydrogen. The system has been shown to completely destroy viruses, unlike traditional air filters that only reduce aerosol levels.
Aerosols have been identified as one of the transmission routes for SARS-CoV-2 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Studies have shown that these small particles can significantly increase the risk of infection in indoor spaces that are not ventilated or filtered. The new air filtration system developed by the Fraunhofer Institutes can help reduce this risk by completely destroying viruses and other organic materials in the air. The system is expected to be ready for market in about a year and a half, and the developers are confident that it will have applications beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Hans-Jürgen Friedrich, a group leader at Fraunhofer IKTS, the system has the potential to solve such problems in a way that only produces CO2. The researchers have also tested the system for safety risks and plan to use surrogate viruses in future experiments before testing it with the new coronavirus. The system has been designed to be safe for use in typical room sizes with several people over several hours, producing only a few hundred milliliters of CO2 and hydrogen. The new air filtration system could be a game-changer in the fight against Covid-19 and other airborne diseases, providing a safe and effective way to reduce the risk of infection in indoor spaces.
