Bacteria-Killing Air Filter

The spread of biological contaminants in hospitals is a growing concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the chances of acquiring a potentially antibiotic-resistant infection during a hospital stay are approximately 1 in 30. But a new air filter has been developed that not only traps bacteria, viruses, fungi and other pathogens; it also destroys them and any by-products that they might produce.

A new material has been developed call laser-induced grapheme (LID) – a flexible, porous material that can conduct electricity. When applied to a filter for a commercial vacuum filtration system, it’s very effective at trapping contaminants carried by droplets, aerosols and particulates in the air. Periodically, the filter is heated to 350 degrees Celsius (662 degrees Fahrenheit) to obliterate any living organisms as well as their toxic derivatives. The heating method used (Joule heating) requires very little power and only takes seconds to heat up and cool down.

The filters were tested by passing air contaminated with pathogens through them for 90 hours at a rate of 10 liters per minute. Subsequent testing revealed that all living components and their by-products had been destroyed. The filters were then incubated to confirm that there was no bacterial growth. A single filter may be adequate to replace the two-filter system currently mandated by federal standards in hospital ventilation systems and will require changing less frequently.