A hospital trial conducted by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Berkshire-based air hygiene company, Evergen, has used electro-static air purifiers to capture 99.5% of airborne pollutants and viral particles up to 1.0 micron in size.
High-precision air quality monitors were placed in Hull University Teaching Hospital’s majors and minor injuries area, in an effort to test the efficacy of the approach in the ongoing fight against Coronavirus.
And the results found that Evergen Air, the only ESP technology to be accredited by ISO 16890, reduced the amount of particulate matter 0-1 microns - which is where many harmful viruses exist, including COVID-19 - by an average of 55% across both majors and minors clinical areas.
Traditional filtration involves trapping particles, but micro-organisms that are not destroyed can often remain active and multiply.
But the Evergen Air systems use electro-static precipitators to ionise pollutant particles and micro-organisms, including bacteria, fungus, and Coronavirus particles within range.
And this ability to neutralise and destroy harmful airborne pathogens signals an innovation for healthcare settings.
Chris Garner, interim director of operations for the emergency medicine health group at the trust, said: “We were really pleased to be chosen to participate in this trial and we’re grateful for the loan of the EvergenAir purifiers, while the testing has been underway”.
EarthSense, the air quality monitoring company that helped facilitate the trial, supplied its Zephyr air quality monitors to determine airborne pollutants levels before and after introducing Evergen’s cleaning system.
Luke Beer, commercial director at Evergen, said: “We used EarthSense’s Zephyr to measure airborne pollutants, and the captured data shows marked reductions in pathogen and virus-sized molecules in critical areas by significantly reducing airflow.
“We found that when the purifiers were turned on in the majors and minor injuries area of the emergency department, there was a 55% average reduction in the amount of particles above 0.1 micron, which is where many harmful viruses exist, including COVID-19.
“Where many other sites see a considerable amount of viral dispersal and the need to improve the circulation of air flow according to standardised regulations; this trial demonstrates the ability of EvergenAir to remove pollutants in real-world settings and meet regulated requirements for air quality.”
Following the successful trial, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is now installing the floor-standing EvergenAir units within its ophthalmic department.
