| Abstract Detail
Economic Botany Section Ghosh, Nabarun [1], Veloz, Mitsy [1], Bouyi, Danius [1], Bennert, Jeff [2], Saadeh, Constantine [3], Bell, Clint [3]. Aeroallergen of Texas Panhandle, AHPCO and Plasma Nanotechnology to improve the indoor air and sanitize ice machines. We have been analyzing the daily aeroallergen by using the coated Melinex tape from the Burkard Volumetric Spore Trap to determine if any correlation existed between the aeroallergen indices and incidence of asthma and allergic rhinitis cases. Major pollen type belonged to Asteraceae, Amaranthaceae, Solanaceae, Brassicace and Poaceae. Major fungal species recorded were Alternaria, Stachybotrys, Curvularia, Pithomyces and Ascospores. Since 2007 the allergy and asthma cases in Texas Panhandle has become doubled to that of the average rate of allergy cases of Texas. A decade research in aerobiology and biotechnology at the West Texas A & M University and Air Oasis produced an air purification system that uses Advanced Hydrated Photo Catalytic Oxidation (AHPCO) and Plasma Nanotechnology to reduce indoor aeroallergen to improve air quality and better food preservation. Air Oasis air purifiers utilize a new generation AHPCO technology that does not rely on filters or air passing through the air purifier. Dirty ice machine causing contamination via ice cubes is also a major health problem in all the countries including the United States. To prevent any potential contamination, the interior surface biofilm microflora in the ice machine must be sanitized regularly. We evaluated the Bi-Polar® unit by Air Oasis in sanitizing the ice machine surface. The Bi-Polar® creates cold plasma discharge which consists of positive and negative ions from water vapor in the air. Positive and negative ions attach to particles which cluster together to create inactivated larger particles. Two sets of petri-plates were inoculated with sterile cotton swab with the inoculum collected from the ice-maker surface at the time intervals of 24, 48, 72, 120 and 168 hours. Developed colonies were observed after 24 hours of incubation at 37o Celsius. Bacterial/fungal colonies were isolated using a SZ-40 stereo-scope. Prepared slides from bacterial colonies stained with Gram staining and fungi with Lacto-Phenol Cotton Blue stain were observed and micrographed at 100X with a Leica DM-750 microscope. After running the Bi-Polar® 168 hours, there was a significant reduction in microbial entities. Air Oasis has developed air purification and in reducing the chances of contamination in food processing facility, cell phone sterilizer and very recently in 2015 the Bi-Polar® unit in reducing contamination in the ice makers by using the unique Plasma-technology. Research and Development unit of Air Oasis has been developing, improving the quality and efficiency of this novel air purification system, sterilizers and Bi-Polar® units in the world.
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Related Links:
Pollen & Allergy Research
http://homedirs.wtamu.edu/~nghosh/pollen1.html
1 - West Texas A&M University, Department of Life Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2403 Russell Long Blvd, Canyon, Texas, 79016, USA
2 - Air Oasis, R&D, Amarillo, Texas, 79118, USA
3 - Allergy ARTS, R&D, Amarillo, Texas, 79124, USA
Keywords:
Aeroallergen
AHPCO
Plasma-nanotechnology.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Hall D/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PEN005
Abstract ID:551
Candidate for Awards:None |
