IIT Bombay and IIT Kanpur Develop Technology that can Deactivate COVID-19 Virus in Just 1 Minute

IIT Bombay and IIT Kanpur claim that the technology is capable of deactivating the COVID-19 virus with an efficiency of 99.9%

IIT Bombay and IIT Kanpur have developed a new technology called “Anti-Microbial Air Purification Technology” that apparently not only purifies the air but destroys germs, as well.  The technology has been tested at Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Institute Of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH) and has proven to be able to deactivate the COVID-19 virus with an efficacy of 99.9% within just 1 minute, says a statement from the institutes. 

Research from leading universities of the world has found that a combination of air pollution with COVID-19 is far more severe and dangerous. Ravi Kaushik, the CEO and Founder of AiRTH, who realized the limitations in the existing purification technologies, while he was pursuing his Masters in Environmental Engineering at IIT Bombay. This new technology developed by AiRTH, a startup incubated at the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), IIT Kanpur, has proven to be quite an effective measure while fighting the novel coronavirus.

The relatively novel technology from AiRTH is different from the other similar air purifiers in the market. Earlier generation of air purifiers that floods the market, works on the mechanism of capturing particles; however continuous over-usage of the filter medium leads to the filter itself becoming a breeding ground for germs, like a petri dish. The new technology from AiRTH makes sure that the germs are deactivated due to its plant-based coating on the filters, UV irradiations and OH (Hydroxyl) radicals. 

It works on a D-C-D (Deactivate-Capture-Deactivate) mechanism, which can have upto 8000 times better disinfection efficiency compared to conventional UV-based air purifiers. The technology by AiRTH deactivates airborne pathogens and viruses via inflight deactivation. It gives sufficient residence time to the contaminated air particles before optimizing the filtration and then disinfecting them. 

AiRTH Anti Microbial Air Purifiers are already in use in hospitals, protecting immuno-compromised cancer patients at fatal risk even from a common cold. AiRTH’s technology have been used by Corporates, both Private and Government to ensure business continuity and encourage their employees to return to clean air offices.