ZeBox: A novel non-intrusive continuous-use technology to trap and kill airborne microbes

Abstract

Preventing nosocomial infection is a major unmet need of our times. Existing air decontamination technologies suffer from demerits such as toxicity of exposure, species specificity, noxious gas emission, environment-dependent performance and high power consumption. Here, we present a novel technology called ZeBox that transcends the conventional limitations and achieves high microbicidal efficiency. In ZeBox, a non-ionizing electric field extracts naturally charged microbes from flowing air and deposits them on engineered microbicidal surfaces. The surfaces three dimensional topography traps the microbes long enough for them to be inactivated. The electric field and chemical surfaces synergistically achieve rapid inactivation of a broad spectrum of microbes. ZeBox achieved near complete kill of airborne microbes in challenge tests (5-9 log reduction) and >90% efficiency in a fully functional stem cell research facility in the presence of humans. Thus, ZeBox fulfills the dire need for a real-time, continuous, safe, trap-and-kill air decontamination technology.

Numerical study of airborne particle dynamics in vortices subject to electric field

“…Leveraging air circulations to replace plasma arc ion injection in to air would be of crucial role in improving ESP adaptation under health and environmental impacts. Selective deposition of particles identified at the interplay of counter circulating air flow and electrostatic fields might be combined with microfluidic biosampling devices 45,46 , wet wall 64,65 and membrane wall 66,67 airborne particulate collectors for novel active, faster and reliable bioaerosol sampling techniques. Inertial limit cycle manipulation of airborne particles could be of importance in particulate flight through narrow irregular channels, such as aerosol drug delivery applications.…”

Demonstration of a droplet electrohydrodynamic blower in aerosols

“…Interplay of aerodynamic circulations and electrostatic field on aerosol particulates has been recognized as an important phenomenon in a variety of applications 34,35 . Wet walls 36 and membrane walls 37,38 More applications, such as in milli/micro scale heat, species and gas transport problems may be recognized. Suitable representative dimensionless numbers scaling are shown in the figure 6.…”

Efficient elimination of airborne pathogens: a study on aerosolized Mycobacterium tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2 using ZeBox technology

“…In a recent publication [10], we have described a novel technology called "ZeBox" that exploits microbial Zeta Potential to trap and eliminate free-flowing microorganisms from the air. The technology utilizes the fact that all microorganisms are naturally charged and characterized by their Zeta Potential [Table 1]; hence, their movement can be manipulated by applying an electric field.…”