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

在当前的新冠肺炎大流行期间，用于表面去污的消毒剂产品的使用自然大幅增加，最终导致每当试图覆盖大表面和频繁重复使用时的相关成本。也认识到包括新冠肺炎在内的冠状病毒可以在污水和饮用水中保持几天甚至更长时间的传染性，因此需要解决水处理和辅助消毒问题。虽然可以争辩说，处理受污染的表面只需要稀释漂白剂或肥皂水，特别是在家庭情况下，但在某些情况下，这些试剂是不合适的，特别是在清洗新鲜农产品时，包括水果、蔬菜和鲜肉。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，需要在使用后擦拭以去除漂白剂残留物。虽然酒精喷雾和湿巾具有消毒作用，但它们也不适用于所有情况。即使是漂白剂和皂基化学剂的水基替代品或补充，也将是对抗病毒和其他病原体感染的解决方案武器库的一个受欢迎的补充。正是这样一种方法是由一类纳米气泡提供的，这种气泡含有活性氧，作为杀灭细菌、病毒和其他病原体的媒介，并导致无残留的水和氧气的释放！所涉及的纳米气泡是非常小的气泡，直径通常远低于千分之一毫米(人类厚发的厚度约为十分之一毫米)，使大量气泡可以容纳在小体积的水中。臭氧作为一种有效的替代防腐剂，目前正引起人们的关注，其特点是对细菌、真菌、原生动物和病毒具有强大的抗微生物作用。臭氧处理过的水被用于这种目的，但溶解的气体迅速分解成氧气，并将效力降低到不超过5到10分钟。另一方面，含有臭氧的纳米气泡的水，极大地改变了效力的时间长达几天，甚至几个月。该项目的目标是生产一种多功能的系统演示器，可以通过简单地改变激活的纳米气泡水的配方和输送方式来针对一系列应用，最初针对的是家庭使用的新鲜农产品的表面消毒和洗涤，随后在对抗新冠肺炎病毒的斗争中得到更广泛的医疗应用。

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.