Air-purifying market in India overview by Una Ni Raghallaigh, Business Development Director, EMEAA region for Novaerus Inc

1. How is the growth in the air-purifying market in India and what do you see driving this growth?

India is one of the most populous countries in the world, with one of the fastest growing economies and its fair share of air quality issues. 14 of the top 15 most polluted cities in the world are in India. Big efforts will be needed to tackle this issue. Campaigns like the ‘Clean India’ mission are proof that this crisis needs to be tackled head on, and that everyone has a part to play.

In my opinion, I see public awareness being a key factor to growth in this market. People are becoming more knowledgeable about their environment and the impact that the food they eat, the water they drink or the air they breathe has on the health and wellbeing. I believe this will be a key driving force in the market, not just within India, but globally.

2. In a decade, how and at what rate do you feel the quality of air is to improve or deteriorate? Explain how it affects the human life cycle.

It is difficult to predict how air quality will be in 10 years. While it is evident that air quality has deteriorated over the past decade,there are so many innovative and promising solutions coming onto the market. One thing is sure if we do not act quickly and approach this global crisis from multiple angles, our environment and the air we breathe will have a detrimental impact on our health.

Studies have shown that ambient air is a major cause of death and disease globally. An estimated 4.2 million premature deaths globally are linked to ambient air pollution, mainly from heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections in children.

According to WHO, worldwide ambient air pollution accounts for:

• 25% of all deaths and disease from lung cancer
• 17% of all deaths and disease from acute lower respiratory infection
• 16% of all deaths from stroke
• 15% of all deaths and disease from ischaemic heart disease
• 8% of all deaths and disease from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

3. What type of diseases are we looking at if we don’t have air purifiers?

You can see from the statistics above the significant impact air pollution has on heart, respiratory system and our brain. More and more studies are emerging showing new links between air pollution and infertility, dementia, diabetes and even our mental health. We also need to consider the real threat of antimicrobial resistance. Again, it is difficult to predict the future, but one thing is sure if we do not start to seek new and innovative solutions for treating the air, spread of infection and disease will rise.

4. Did Novaerus implement any testing in India?

Novaerus units have been trialled and tested in select clinics and hospitals departments in India by conducting a pre and post CFU measurement of bacterial samples from the air.We are also in the process of developing a protocol for a trial at one of the major TB hospitals in Mumbai, along with a trial at an IVF laboratory.

5. How has this technology benefited In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) centres in India?

Many IVF clinics where Novaerus technology has been implemented have reported improvement in blastocyst formation rates and increase in overall success rates and cost saving on maintenance.

6. What has triggered Novaerus to come up with this technology as there were already many air- purifiers that are existing?

In truth, there have been no major developments with regards to air treatment technologies in the last 30 years. Filtration and UV are the most common solutions. While filtration can be very effective at trapping airborne particles, it does not actually deactivate them. This can lead to filter colonisation and risks during filter changes. UV light can be used to kill pathogens in the air but its efficacy is highly dependent on a number of factors including air flow, exposure time, humidity, temperature, type of microorganism to name a few. Some UV technologies can even be harmful to humans. There is also considerable maintenance involved with both these technologies.

Plasma sterilisation is a nontoxic, rapid method that has previously been used to sterilize surgical instruments. At Novaerus, we have adapted this concept to treat the air. Our small portable devices contain a patented plasma that provides safe and continuous treatment of the air, 24/7, with minimum maintenance.

7. When was Novaerus 1050 launched in India and which sector you feel in India can benefit from the product

Our main focus is within healthcare. Our defend 1050 will have a rapid impact on air quality in hospitals, helping to reduce the spread of infection and protect patients and staff. In my opinion, I see real potential in the fight against TB, not just in India but globally. Tuberculosis is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. Multidrsistantug-re TB remains a public health crisis and a health security threat. TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected, so the air is an incredibly important vector of transmission in the spread of TB. In independent test, our NV1050 was shown to reduce TB by 97% in under 30 minutes!

8. Where all Novaerus solution is being provided? (India and Global)

In India, Novaerus units have been installed in more than 30 healthcare locations across country. There is a huge interest in new model Defend 1050.

We currently have partners in over 30 countries. Some of the more exciting installations include our NV200 model being installed in over 400 ambulances and air rescue vehicles in Seoul, South Korea. We are also very lucky to have been chosen for a long-term project with the KarolinskaInstitiute in Sweden. They have installed our NV800 model in operating theatres across Sweden to observe the impact on surgical sight infection rates. Results that other healthcare facilities have seen include reduction in infection rates, staff sickness, antibiotic use, even a reduction patients length of stay.

9. Has Plasma Technology been accredited by any Indian institution?

Plasma technology for sterilization of medical devices has been well accepted by many Indian institutes. Plasma air-sterilization technology is accredited by CE as a medical device. Being comparatively new technology, Plasma air sterilization technology is being looked into by various institutes in India for validation and accreditation purpose.

10. How is Novaerus solution different than any other Air-Purification systems in India?

At the core of our devices is our patented plasma technology. This unique non-thermal plasma has been tested and validated by numerous laboratories around the world including the NASA research centre in California. The NASA research, which was published last year, used electron-scanning microscopy to visualise the power of the plasma. This allowed us to see what was actually happening to pathogens as they entered the plasma field. Simply put, there are a number of physical reactions occurring at the same time, causing the cell to become stressed, the cell wall to break, destroying the cell and it’s genetic material. What was also interesting to note was the rapid rate of kill (2 milliseconds) that was determined. Something which is crucial when treating the air.

11. How does Novaerus help in controlling airborne infections?

The key findings from the trials we have carried out in healthcare facilities have shown a reduction in airborne bioburden and in turn a reduction in the spread of infection. What is interesting to note is that if the Novaerus units are switched off, the airborne bioburden will rise back up. This proves that we need to treat the air 24/7. Research at one hospital in the UK even showed a reduction in surface bacteria. Now, we are not claiming that we actively clean surfaces, but we do keep surfaces clearer… less pathogens in the air, so less chance of them settling on surfaces. We are closing the loop on infection control.

12. What is plasma technology & what role does it play in Novaerus solutions?

Plasma is essentially an energized gas, often described as the fourth state of matter. Up until now, plasma sterilization has generally been used to treat surgical instruments and objects. At Novaerus, we have applied this concept to the air. Our patented plasma is core to our technology. As mentioned in the NASA testing our plasma will rapidly deactivate and destroy pathogens and pollutants in a matter of milliseconds. It is extremely effective at destroying airborne pollutants yet gentle and safe for use around vulnerable patients 24/7.

13. Do you build customized solutions based on geographical differences?

We have three core models in our product range, all based on plasma sterilisation, with our largest model combining plasma and filtration. These portable models are simply plugged in and switched on. They do not require any specialised installation process and have very limited maintenance. What is so powerful about our plasma technology is its consistent efficacy across a wide range of airborne pathogens and pollutants – viruses, bacteria, mould, spores, Volatile Organic Compounds and allergens. We understand that many countries face different challenges in terms of airborne pollutants. For example, Particle Matter 2.5 will be a major concern in Asian countries, whereas influenza may be the major concern in European healthcare facilities. As we show consistent kill rates across a wide range of pathogens, and with installations in over 30 countries, we are confident that our plasma will have a significant impact in the varying challenging environments around the world.

Corporate Comm India(CCI Newswire)