SINGAPORE, Nov. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As of May 2021, the World Health Organization has officially recognized aerosolized particles as a mode of transmission for COVID-19.
Zero2.5 Natural Fiber Air Ionizer Series - CF4000 and the derivative CF7000
The higher infectivity of the delta variant also meant that indoor settings with poor air circulation pose an extremely high risk in contracting COVID-19 because airborne viral particles can linger in the air for a long time.
Previously from an aerosol removal efficacy study published in the OSF research article (OSF Research Article 2021)[1] in early 2021, Zero2.5's plant and natural fiber-based ionizer was shown to drastically remove 95% of the airborne aerosol from 25 minutes (with no ionizer) to within 7 minutes in a 20 m3 room saturated with 4,000 aerosol particle per cm3. This is equivalent to having an ACH ("air change per hour") as high as 12 and CADR ("clean air delivery rate") of 141 ft3 per minute.
However, as countries started to see a resurgence of COVID-19 case numbers from the delta variant, Zero2.5 has also hastened efforts to secure independent validation of the protective effect that our natural fiber air ionizers confer specifically against COVID-19.
As of November 2021, the team at Zero2.5 is excited to share that the independent test results for viral protection are finally out after a long and rigorous validation process by Texcell. Texcell is a world renowned global contract research organization established in 1987 that specializes in virus testing, viral clearance, and biosafety.
Texcell carried out a viral clearance study, commonly used in the industry to determine the effectiveness of a process in inactivating virus by comparing the total amount of virus initially against the amount of virus left after the anti-viral process.
The test involved Zero2.5's Natural Fiber Coco Coir Air Ionizer CF4000 and it showed that 99.998% of the Sars-Cov-2 virus was inactivated within 3 hours in a 57-litre box – representing a log reduction of 4.77. For example, a log reduction of 1 is equivalent to 10-fold reduction, while log reduction of 2 is equal to a 100-fold reduction. A log reduction of 4 and greater is considered highly effective by industry standards in reducing the amount of virus. Control tests showed that in the absence of a Zero2.5's air ionizer, 99.999% of the virus remained viable after 3 hours.
As part of Singapore's reopening plan towards the new normal, our natural fiber-based air ionizers – now with independent scientific validation in inactivating COVID-19 virus – could play a key protective role in areas with high human traffic.
Deploying conventional air purifiers is insufficient because infection usually takes place with direct contact in real-time. There is a window of vulnerability between the time the viral aerosols are generated by the infectious person and the time where the air is filtered through commercial air purifiers. The risk of these last mile transmissions spikes exponentially in crowded areas.
Zero2.5 Natural Fiber Air Ionizer mitigates the last mile transmission risk of COVID spreading in real-time at the point of infection in indoor spaces
Zero2.5's Natural Fiber Air Ionizer mitigates this risk by reducing the virus concentration in real-time near the source. The high concentration of Negative Air Ions (NAIs) generated by our natural fiber-based ionizers near to virus source provides a 360-degree protective sphere, like an air filtering bubble that reduces the virus load to protect the users within. Furthermore, as verified by Texcell, the ability of a Zero2.5 Ioniser to inactivate virus activity helps to mitigate or reduce any potential risk of infection.
Managing the last-mile transmission risk in high traffic areas would be key, as economies learn to live with COVID-19. The real-time safeguard against live virus conferred by Zero2.5 natural fiber-based ionizers can be deployed in these high-risk areas to significantly reduce the window period of infection possibility by inactivating the virus near the source.
[1] The efficacy of plant-based ionizers in removing aerosol for COVID-19 mitigation. Research, 2021. https://osf.io/2mh4c |
About Zero2.5
Zero2.5 is a Singapore-based company with technology spun off from Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory Limited . We use our proprietary plant-based and natural fiber-based ionizers to generate upwards of a million-fold in Negative Air Ions ("NAIs") that have been demonstrated to reduce the airborne aerosol particles by 95% within 7 minutes in a typical sized 20m3 room. Our most recent study also demonstrated a 99.998% inactivation of COVID-19 virus within 3 hours in a verified controlled laboratory setting. Control tests showed that in the absence of the air ionizer, 99.999% of the virus remained viable after 3 hours.
The NAIs that are produced by our natural fiber-based ionizers not only inactivate the virus as shown in the Texcell study, but it also bring down PM2.5, allergens, and other aerosols to safe levels within minutes in a typical sized room.
NAIs are commonly found around waterfalls, forests and in environments after a refreshing rainfall. The NAI concentration of these natural environments are upwards of 100 to 1,000x times more than our home and office spaces. Air pollution has been widely linked with poor mental and physical health – the air cleaning effect of NAIs produced by our ionizers reduces harmful pollutants and dust in your indoor spaces and improves our overall health and well-being.
At Zero2.5, not only do we believe in independent testing to back our claims, we also are advocates of a sustainable future. Our natural fiber-based ionizers are sourced from the natural by-product of coconut harvesting.
Our natural fiber air ionizers are trusted by many brands and companies regionally (Zero2.5 featured on Straits Times). Our eco-friendly solutions bring clean and healthy air to any indoor and outdoor environment, without the hassle of costly maintenance commitments that traditional air purifiers normally demand. Zero2.5 natural fiber ionizers are competitively priced and consumes lower energy. Learn more about Zero2.5 here https://negativeairion.com/
About Texcell
Texcell is a global contract research organization based in France that specializes in virus testing, viral clearance, immunoprofiling and R&D or GMP cell banking for R&D, GCIP, GLP and GMP projects. Texcell's expertise in the field of viral testing is globally recognized with a long history since 1987.
Verification by Texcell
Texcell is a global contract research organization based in France that specializes in virus testing, viral clearance, and biosafety. Texcell's expertise in the field of viral testing is globally recognized with a long history since 1987. This viral clearance study for Zero2.5's Natural Fiber Air Ionizers CF4000 and CF7000 have been verified by Texcell under study number 1240/02.
The test verifies a 99.998% inactivation (4.77 log reduction) of SARS-Cov-2 virus in 3 hours. The study involved exposing a single layer gauze spiked with a million live SARS-Cov-2 virus against Zero2.5's Natural Fibre Air Ionizers 15cm away for 3 hours in a 57L box (465mm*350mm*350mm). Control tests showed that in the absence of the air ionizer, 99.999% of the virus remained viable after 3 hours. The study was performed under laboratory setting and not meant to evaluate performance under uncontrolled living spaces.