IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay develops Air Purification Technology to combat Covid-19 virus within 1 minute

IIT Kanpur and IIT Bombay have jointly created a new "Anti-Microbial Air Purification Technology" which will be effective against both the COVID-19 virus and air pollution. The technique has been tested at CSIR-IMTECH and has been proven to deactivate coronavirus with 99.9% effectiveness in just 1 minute.
  
Who proposed the idea of the AiRTH Startup?
 
It was Ravi Kaushik, the CEO, and Founder of AiRTH, who realized the limitations in the existing purification technologies, while he was pursuing his Masters in Environmental Engineering at IIT Bombay. He nurtured his idea to shape it into AiRTH. 
 
With guidance and support from Prof. Amitabha Bandopadhyay, Professor-in-charge of the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre, IIT Kanpur, AiRTH was incubated. 
 
The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, played a crucial role in testing the prototypes, with validation from trusted and respected laboratories of India like CSIR-NPL, and CSIR-CDRI, amongst others.
 
What Ravi Kaushik has to say about the new Air Purifier?
 
Speaking to IndiaTodayNE, Ravi Kaushik, the CEO, and Founder of AiRTH updates about the benefits and newness of the technology and how it will surely deactivate the Coronavirus if it enters the system.  “Now everybody knows that because of Air pollution on an average Indians are losing five years of life span and in places like Delhi, they are losing 2 to 10 years of life. So if I told you that there is one thing that can increase your life span by 5 to 10 years, what will you do? So this is the impact of Air purification as everybody knows the kind of havoc that Covid has created. 
 
“We have identified the gap and there are other technologies out there, for example, air purifiers with filters which themselves become a beating ground for germs. They can help you against air pollution but not with UV transmission. We are doing different and making sure 360-degree protection, protecting from both air pollution”.  
 
“We are protecting cancer, and HIV patients as all of them are in compromise. Their body can’t fight the battle against unseen germs in the air and that’s why we are doing this for them by deactivating the germs which are in the air”.
 
Difficulties faced by Air Purifier Industry during the pandemic
 
The world is still not free of the deadly coronavirus, as the virus continues to evolve at regular intervals. 
 
When the pandemic hit, the air purifier industry experienced significant demands and changes. However, achieving a higher level of efficacy while fighting the novel coronavirus proved difficult.
 
This new technology developed by AiRTH, a startup incubated at IIT Kanpur's Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), has proven to be quite effective in this regard. 
 
With the CSIR-IMTECH validation, the technology can now be called cutting-edge in its efforts to combat COVID.
 
What’s new in this Air Purifier?
 
AiRTH's relatively new technology distinguishes it from other similar air purifiers on the market. 
 
The new technology from AiRTH makes sure that the germs are deactivated due to its plant-based coating on the filters, UV irradiation, and OH (Hydroxyl) radicals. 
 
It operates on a D-C-D (Deactivate-Capture-Deactivate) mechanism that has up to 8000 times better disinfection efficiency compared to traditional UV-based air purifiers.
 
The technology by AiRTH deactivates airborne pathogens and viruses via inflight deactivation. It gives sufficient residence time to the contaminated air particles before optimizing the filtration and then disinfecting them.
 
How was this innovation chosen?
                                                                                                                                                                                        In a recent event inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to mark ten successful years of BIRAC, this innovation was selected for product launch among the 75 products, in commemoration of the 75th Year of Independence. 
 
It has also been awarded the Nexus Start-up Development Grant, an initiative by the US Embassy along with seed funding under the ‘Nidhi4covid2.0’, a special drive initiated by the National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) to support the country in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Benefits of using these Anti-Microbial Air Purifiers?
 
AiRTH Anti Microbial Air Purifiers are already in use in hospitals, protecting immuno-compromised cancer patients at fatal risk even from a common cold. 
 
AiRTH’s technology has helped Corporates, both Private and Government by ensuring business continuity and encouraging their employees to return to clean air offices. 
 
The technology developed by AiRTH exemplifies the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Made in India' initiatives.