Disruptive innovation in disinfection of Community Spaces, Health-Care and Food Security

在当前的Covid-19大流行期间，用于表面净化的消毒产品的使用自然大幅增加，最终导致在试图覆盖大面积表面和频繁重复使用时产生巨大的相关成本。我们也认识到，包括Covid-19在内的冠状病毒可以在污水和饮用水中保持数天甚至更长时间的传染性，因此在解决水处理和补充消毒问题方面也有需要。虽然可以认为，稀释漂白剂或肥皂水是处理受污染表面所需要的全部，特别是在家庭情况下，但在某些情况下，这些剂是不合适的，特别是在洗涤新鲜农产品，包括水果、蔬菜和鲜肉时。此外，即使在稀释溶液中处理漂白剂也会遇到问题，要求在使用过程中，在使用后需要擦拭以去除漂白剂残留物。虽然酒精喷雾剂和湿巾有消毒作用，但它们也不是适用于所有情况。一种以水为基础的替代品或补充物，甚至可以替代漂白剂和肥皂为基础的化学剂，将是对抗病毒和其他病原体感染的解决方案的一个受欢迎的补充。这种方法是由一类含有活性氧的纳米气泡提供的，它可以杀死细菌、病毒和其他病原体，并产生无残留物的水和氧气的释放！所涉及的纳米气泡是非常小的气泡，通常直径远低于千分之一毫米（浓密的人类头发的厚度约为十分之一毫米），允许在小体积的水中容纳大量的气泡。臭氧作为一种有效的替代防腐剂，其特点是对细菌、真菌、原生动物和病毒具有很强的抗菌作用，目前正引起人们的注意。臭氧化水已被用于这一目的，但溶解的气体迅速分解成氧气，并在不超过5至10分钟的时间内降低效力。另一方面，含有臭氧纳米泡的水会戏剧性地改变药效，持续几天甚至几个月。该项目的目的是生产一种多功能系统示范，通过简单地改变活化纳米气泡水的配方和输送方式，该系统可用于一系列应用，最初用于家庭表面消毒和新鲜农产品洗涤，随后将在抗击Covid-19病毒的斗争中获得更广泛的医疗保健应用。

During the current Covid-19 pandemic there has naturally been a significant increase in the use of disinfectant products for surface decontamination, culminating in significant associated costs whenever attempting to cover large surfaces and with frequent repeated applications. Recognising too that coronaviruses, including Covid-19, can remain infectious for days or even longer in sewage and drinking water, needs can be seen in tackling both water treatment and complementary disinfection problems. While it can be argued that dilute bleach or soapy-water are all that is needed, particularly in a domestic situation, for treating contaminated surfaces, there are situations in which these agents are inappropriate, notably in washing fresh produce, including fruit, vegetables and fresh meat. Moreover, concerns can be encountered in handling bleach even in dilute solutions, requiring in the process of using them, the need to wipe following application to remove bleach residues.While alcohol-based sprays and wipes have a role in disinfection, they too are not appropriate to all situations. A water-based alternative, or complement, to even bleach and soap-based chemical agents, would be a welcome addition to the armoury of solutions for combating virus, and other pathogen-based infections. Just such an approach is provided by a category of nanobubbles that contain activated oxygen as the agency for killing bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, and result in residue free water and the release of oxygen! The nanobubbles concerned are very small bubbles of gas, typically well below a thousandth of a millimetre in diameter (the thickness of a thick human hair is about a tenth of a millimetre), allowing large numbers to be accommodated in a small volume of water.Ozone is currently attracting attention as an effective alternative antiseptic, characterised by its strong antimicrobial action upon bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. Ozonated water has been used for such purposes, but the dissolved gas quickly dissociating into oxygen and reducing potency to no more than 5 to 10 minutes. Water containing ozone-nanobubbles on the other hand, dramatically changes the potency to periods extending to days and even months.The aim of the project is to produce a versatile system demonstrator that can be directed at a range of applications by simply changing the formulation and delivery mode of the activated nanobubble-water, initially directed at domestic uses for surface disinfecting and washing of fresh produce, and following on with wider health-care applications in the fight to combat the Covid-19 virus.