Coronavirus Technology Solutions
June 5, 2020
More on Precipitators for Virus Capture
Johns Manville Producing Gown and Face Mask
Media for COVID Mitigation
Facemask
Line Capable
of
Producing Up
to
One Million
Disposable Surgical Masks
per day with a
Lower-Cost Design
A Rapid One-Step Test for COVID-19:
Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Test
Mettler Toledo Rainin Striving to Assure Stable
Supply of Research Supplies and Calibration
Services
Mask Policy Webinar June 18
HEPA Filters for Indian Government Buildings
CDC Recommends HEPA Filters to Capture Viruses
in Buildings
Disinfection Tunnel for Sports Stadiums
____________________________________________________________________________
More on
Precipitators for Virus Capture
In the Alert yesterday we reported on the
Washington University efforts to evaluate ESPs
for coronavirus capture.
Here is more information from the
research.
A new device called a soft x-ray electrostatic
precipitator protected immunocompromised mice
from airborne pathogenic bacteria, viruses,
ultrafine particles, and allergens, according to
a paper published online ahead of print in the
journal Applied and Environmental
Microbiology. This device, known for short
as a SXC ESP, is highly versatile, with multiple
potential uses, and Washington University is
working on licensing the technology.
"Small particles are difficult to remove, and
our device overcomes that barrier," says Pratim
Biswas of Washington University, St. Louis. The
device not only captures particles with a high
level of efficiency that has never before been
achieved; it also inactivates them. Even
bioterror agents are blocked and completely
inactivated, says Biswas.
The range of potential uses includes indoor
protection of susceptible populations, such as
people with respiratory illness or
inhalation-induced allergies, and young
children; protection of buildings from
bio-terror attack; protection of individuals in
hospital surgical theaters, for example, during
open organ surgery; protection in clean rooms
for semiconductor
fabrication;
removal of ultrafine
particles in
power plants; and capture of diesel exhaust
particulates, says Biswas.
The device could be used in homes, with a cost
similar to that of high efficiency air cleaners,
says Biswas. "But it would be much easier to
operate, and much more effective," he adds. It
could be added into stand-alone indoor air
cleaners, or incorporated into HVAC systems in
homes, offices, and even in aircraft cabins. In
the study, the device exceeded standards for
high efficiency particulate air filters, which
must be capable of removing particles larger
than 0.3 micrometers with 99.97 percent
efficiency.
The SXC ESP works by placing a charge on the
particles—"which it does very effectively," says
Biswas—and then using an electrical field to
trap the particles. The SXC unit then also
completely inactivates biological
particles,
by irradiating them, and photoionizing them—as
UV light does, only more energetically.
Johns Manville
Producing Gown and Face Mask Media for COVID
Mitigation
“There is a desperate need in North America and
in Europe for medical gowns,” said John Vasuta,
President of Johns Manville’s Engineered
Products business. “Our teams are working
quickly to create solutions and manufacture a
new coated polyester spunbond nonwoven fabric.
We are going through unprecedented times – so
every step to support health care workers and
others on the front lines helps right now.”
This is the second move by Johns Manville to
quickly develop and launch a product that can
improve the safety of people in potential direct
contact with the COVID-19 virus. In April,
production started in Richland, Mississippi, of
nonwoven media for the manufacturing of face
masks.
“Given the urgent need for action,” Vasuta said,
“we quickly decided to build on our own
capabilities and develop a coated product to
supply the domestic medical gown manufacturing
industry.”
The new polyester spunbond nonwoven is designed
for the production of Level 3 medical gowns.
“The fabric offers superior liquid barrier
performance compared to materials used for Level
1 and Level 2 medical gowns, while also
providing comfort and stitch-strength,” said
Souvik Nandi, Director Nonwovens Technology at
Johns Manville Engineered Products.
The JM plant in Spartanburg employs 100 people
and produces a variety of polyester nonwoven
products for the use in mainly filtration,
roofing and specialty applications using JM’s
proprietary spunbond technology. Johns Manville
operates a multitude of polyester spunbond lines
across the globe with a distinct customer and
market focus.
The new fabric is formally known as Evalith ®
017/120H3 and is a coated continuous filament,
calendared polyester nonwoven. It meets the
requirements for a Level 3 medical gown as
established by ANSI/AAMI PB70:2012 Liquid
barrier performance and classification of
protective apparel and drapes intended for use
in health care facilities. Per this standard,
the material was tested to AATCC 42-2017 Water
Resistance: Impact Penetration Test and AATCC
127-2017 Water Resistance: Hydrostatic Pressure
Test. Additionally, Evalith 017/120H3 has been
tested to and meets the flammability standard
per 16 CFR Part 1610 Class 1, according to the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration policy and
guidance.
Johns Manville’s (JM) filtration products plant
in Richland, Mississippi started production of
nonwoven filtration media for use in face masks
in April 2020. JM’s Engineered Products business
decided to build on its existing capabilities
and help meet market demand due to shortages in
the US and Europe in relation to the coronavirus
pandemic.
“Johns Manville is in a unique position to serve
a market that is fulfilling a great need across
the world,” said Mary Rhinehart, president and
chief executive officer (CEO) of JM. “Our
high-performance nonwoven material is designed
to provide high levels of filtration for various
types of face masks. We are proud of our teams
in Richland and throughout JM for finding new
ways to support the communities and people who
are on the front lines of this global crisis.”
JM says its media meets or exceeds Level 1 BFE
95% (Bacterial Filtration Efficiency) and VFE
(Viral Filtration Efficiency) requirements.
These results were verified by a Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) registered laboratory.
Facemask Line Capable of Producing Up to One
Million Disposable Surgical Masks per day with a
Lower-Cost Design
The W+D/BICMA hygiene group of Winkler+Dünnebier
has developed a fully automatic, high-speed
facemask converting line for the production of
high-quality disposable face masks. This new
converting line will be able to produce masks
for surgical-grade applications. It is capable
of producing 800 facemasks per minute, but with
a lower cost mask ear loop design.
AUXILIUM FM Facemask Converting Line.
The new AUXILIUM FM has a speed of up to 150
m/min (492 ft/min) and is able to produce up to
1 million high quality face masks per day.
Adding to the manufacturing throughput
efficiency is a unique lower-cost mask design
capability for an expensive component of the
mask, which maximizes the capabilities of lowest
cost per piece mass production. There are also
different options available for mask stacking
and automation, which make this mask machine
best suited for Industry 4.0 manufacturing.
The new mask line produces and laminates three
fabrics (spunbond, meltblown, thermo-bonded
nonwovens and others). It utilizes W+D/BICMA’s
technology in automatic unwinding and splicing
for nonwoven webs, cutting and positioning
devices for the metal nose bar, and heat and
ultrasonic edge welding.
A Rapid One-Step Test for COVID-19:
Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Test
Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Test available from Hardy
Diagnostics
is a rapid, one-step lateral flow assay
intended for the presumptive qualitative
detection of IgM and IgG antibodies to the
SARS-CoV-2 virus in patients suspected of a
COVID-19 infection.
By using a patient’s finger prick blood, serum,
or plasma specimen, the Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Rapid
Test offers a turnaround time of only 15
minutes. This simple to use test requires no
equipment or special expertise or training to
implement.
Mettler Toledo Rainin Striving to Assure Stable
Supply of Research Supplies and Calibration
Services
Rainin
employees are working around the clock to assure
a stable supply of research supplies (pipettes,
tips, and calibration services) for customers
and healthcare agencies worldwide who are
working to contain, treat and eliminate the SARS
CoV-2 virus.
Rainin pipettes and tips are used daily by
hospitals, clinical laboratories, companies and
universities who are on the front lines fighting
the COVID-19 disease and performing critical
research for vaccines and therapies.
The
Oakland, California, manufacturing facility is
operating around the clock to maintain a larger
than normal inventory of essential pipettes and
tips.
All four Rainin U.S. calibration service centers
and onsite technicians are fully operational and
ready to serve the
calibration needs.
Mask Policy Webinar
June 18
In
the last few weeks public policy has changed
considerably as people are now advised to wear
masks when in public. In fact they are required
to do so in many countries and cities in the
U.S. However there is no effort to advise or
require the use of high efficiency masks which
would prevent inhalation of virus aerosols.
Since there is considerable new research to
indicate that aerosols travel some distance and
are a transmission route, the subject of mask
selection becomes of utmost importance.
We
are moving forward in preparation for the mask
policy webinar which will be held on January 18
at 10:AM CDT to discuss and debate the
proposition:
Mask
selection should be based on wearer needs first
and then on needs of those at risk.
Since COVID is now known to pass through
surgical masks, the wearer will not be
completely protected unless he has an N95 or
better. Does this mean everyone should wear an
N95 mask all the time?
A way to answer this question logically
is through a measurement tool for all harm and
good.
Bob McIlvaine explained a common metric to
measure all harm and good in the April 2 webinar.
A McIlvaine study for one of the largest
healthcare companies on single use vs reusable
surgical gowns is equally applicable to masks.
The study includes a common metric to measure
all harm and good and to also consider the
future value discount and tribal values. Every
alternative can be measured in Quality Enhanced
Life Days. This includes the discomfort of
wearing a mask vs the benefits. It includes the
possible selection of Far UV to reduce infection
now even if it increases the chance of skin
cancer many years into the future. It provides a
clear method for determining who gets the
ventilator and who does not. The tribal value
consideration takes into account such questions
as should 3M be required to ship masks, they
produce in other countries back to the U.S. It
provides a method of determining when and if the
risks of resuming the normal work schedule are
justified. It is simple and straightforward
because it is simply the aggregation of the
wishes of the majority.
This proposition to prioritize the wearer needs
is in conflict with certain ordinances which
prohibit masks with valves. For example Korean
high schoolers wore masks without valves in a
1000 meter
endurance test and two died. Should they
have worn masks with valves, risked COVID, or
should tests not be conducted?
The general premise that all individuals if
protected by highly efficient masks could lead
near normal lives would be of high importance to
world economic recovery. The support or
rejection of this proposition rests on
determination of the following factors.
Analysis of each of these factors is in a
background
document found at
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/2-uncategorised/1574-coronavirus-webinars
This background includes a number of webinars on
mask selection which can be viewed.
It also includes a review of each of the
mask selection factors under the link
Mask
Policy Review
We
will be updating the factor analysis
continually. In the last few weeks more
has been learned about decontamination options.
One company claims that the antimicrobial layer
in the mask will inactivate the virus. Therefore
if three masks are rotated with a 24 hour
interval to insure deactivation then this will
be sufficient. A number of companies are now
offering washable masks. Decontamination with
H2O2 and other chemical treatment is also
proving successful.
With all these options the factors are
performance vs cleaning cycle and cost.
We
encourage readers and participants to submit
their views. These insights should address the
factors and what is already said about them in
the background document. The session will be in
a discussion format with each of the factors
reviewed as warranted.
To
register for the webinar Click
here
Send your comments to Bob McIlvaine rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com 847
226 2391.
HEPA Filters for Indian Government Buildings
Citing the dangers of air borne transmission of
COVID-19, former MP and BJP leader Vijay
Sankeshwar has urged the union and state
governments to make mandatory installation of
HEPA filters for air conditioners in government
buildings at both the national and state level.
Read more at:
https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-districts/covid-19-bjp-leader-asks-govt-to-install-hepa-filters-for-acs-in-parliament-vidhan-soudha-845997.html
CDC Recommends HEPA Filters to Capture Viruses
in Buildings
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently
released guidance to building owners that would
eliminate much of the shared office space
alignments we have seen over recent years in
many buildings. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/building-water-system.html
Among other steps, the CDC suggested that:
1. Desks – should be placed 6 feet apart
if possible, and if not, employers ought to use
plastic shields to separate desks.
2. Common Areas – there should be no
seating in the common areas of the building and
the tenant suits and amenities such as
refrigerators, microwaves, multiple-serve coffee
pots and water coolers, should be eliminated to
enable better social distancing and less high
touch areas. Multi Serve Coffee service should
be replaced by single-serve items.
3. Air Flow – Open windows are
recommended for fresh air, but if that is not
possible, office building management should
consider increasing air filtration or having the
HVAC systems draw in as much outdoor air as
possible, as much as 100%. MERV 13 filters or
HEPA filters provide a means to capture up to
99% of air borne viruses.
4. Office Interiors – Cleaning frequently
touched surfaces, including keyboards,
telephones, handrails and doorknobs (the CDC
lists cleaning products that are good for
inactivating viruses). https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html
5. Workers – the CDC suggests that
workers should also undergo temperature checks,
wear masks and wash their hands often. The
agency stresses the importance of letting all
workers affected by the changes know what is
going on, including management and other staff,
but also relief employees, janitorial staff and
maintenance crews.
Additional information can be found in the
Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA)
guide entitled “Getting Back to Work-Preparing
Buildings for Reentry,” https://boma.informz.net/BOMA/data/images/Getting%20Back%20To%20Work%20Preparing%20Buildings%20for%20Re%20Entry.pdf
Disinfection Tunnel for Sports Stadiums
Researchers at Bar-Ilan University have
partnered with Karmiel-based company RD Pack to
develop an innovative “disinfection tunnel,” a
new solution which they say could enable large
crowds to gather safely during the coronavirus crisis.
The walk-through tunnel sprays a patented tap
water-based, environmentally-friendly
disinfectant developed at Bar-Ilan University
using electrochemical technology, which has been
proven to powerfully eliminate bacteria and
viruses, including microbes from the coronavirus
family.
Designed to safely disinfect hundreds or
thousands of individuals gathering daily at
locations including stadiums, hospitals and
schools, the tunnel is equipped with an
automated aerosol spray system, which quickly
disinfects individuals, clothes and potentially
contaminated belongings.
The system will be tested at the VIP entrance to
Jaffa’s Bloomfield Stadium, home to soccer teams
Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Bnei
Yehuda, until the end of the current season.
Prior to entering the disinfection tunnel, all
attendees must have their temperature checked
and wear a mask.
“This disinfectant substance is extremely
effective, 100 times more so than a regular
disinfectant, and the advantage is that the
substance is also unstable,” said Dr. Izaak
Cohen, who developed and patented the
disinfectant with Dr. Eran Avraham and Prof.
Doron Aurbach of Bar-Ilan University’s
Department of Chemistry and Institute of
Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials. “Due to
the substance being unstable, it is more
friendly to the environment. Other disinfectants
are more stable and remain on you and can cause
all sorts of burns. The more stable they are,
the less friendly they are to both you and the
environment.”
Bar-Ilan
University researchers Dr. Eran Avraham (front)
and Dr. Izaak Cohen (back) walk through a
disinfection tunnel at Bloomfield Stadium
(Credit: Yoni Reif)
RD Pack, specialists in the development and
construction of automated industrial machines,
has acquired the technology for the water-based
disinfection process and is currently applying
it in so-called disinfection tunnels and other
automated solutions, including the disinfection
of rooms and other spaces.
