Enter Silver Ions as Well
HVAC and the Like
By Antonio John Soave
August 8, 2022
Most people who are familiar with facilities management now fully understand and comprehend the significance of creating—and maintaining—clean air environments. Recently, the U.S. government also introduced its very own Clean Air in Buildings Challenge; it is designed to eradicate viruses, bacteria, and other harmful pathogens from indoor settings of toxins. At the same time, we should be looking to use nanoparticle filter technology to remediate mold as well. No one needs to remind us of the threat of mold spores, but we are not always convinced about the technology used for eradication. Allow us to enter nanoparticles into this equation.
First: What is mold? According to the NIH:
Molds are filamentous fungi able to grow on a variety of surfaces, including constructed surfaces, food, rotten organic matter, and humid places. Mold growth is characterized by having an unpleasant odor in enclosed or non-ventilated places and a non-aesthetic appearance.
Molds are able to grow on painted walls because they can obtain nutrients by metabolizing compounds used in the fabrication of coatings and paints, such as plasticizers, which are added to these products to increase their fluidity.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5266273/
Next: Why use nanoparticles? Again, the NIH tells us this:
Nanoparticles (NPs) have shown potent antimicrobial activities and have been extensively studied as an alternative to antibiotic agents [8,9]. NPs are highly reactive as a result of a high surface area-to-mass ratio and have been successfully used because of their optical, electrical, and chemical properties, which differ from their normal attributes at the macro scale.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5266273/
Let’s reiterate some operational language here: Nanoparticles have shown “potent antimicrobial activities” and they are considered as viable “alternatives to antibiotic agents.” They are also “highly reactive.”
Now, we may wish to explore another aspect of the nanoparticle air filtration system that incorporates silver ion technology as well. For this, we may wish to reflect on the following:
… silver nanoparticle mass density on a filter with a certain amount of dust does increase the antibacterial ability to a certain extent.
This brings us to a specific solution for enhanced air quality. In essence, we may wish to incorporate advanced air filtration units that have at least three (3) elements present:
- Nanoparticle technology.
- Silver ions; and
- UV-C lighting.
Having said that, we will go back to our research to understand why this is so important. Let us turn to ResearchGate.net for more:
… HAVC systems, which are designed … to improve air quality in indoor environments, are required not only to ensure acceptable temperature, humidity, and air movement, but also to control various particle pollutants or biological aerosols to keep humans healthy.
When adding a UV-C light to the nanoparticle air filtration system, the positive efficacious impact and effect are significant and extensive. For instance, ASHRAE says this:
Ultraviolet germicidal energy (UV-C) has been shown to inactivate viruses, bacteria, and fungi. A few studies have shown that air-cleaning technologies using UV-C disinfection (also termed ultraviolet germicidal irradiation [UVGI]) produce beneficial health effects.
With all of this in mind, we should be seeking advanced and enhanced air filtration that have all three of the properties mentioned above. In review, those are:
- Nanoparticle technology.
- Silver ions; and
- UV-C lighting.
When searching for systems that have all three, there seem to be few alternatives available in the marketplace.
P.S. For more information, reach out to the author at [email protected]
About the Author:
Antonio John Soave is a writer, author, television host, political commentator, and international rights advocate. He has also been a mergers & acquisitions (“M&A”) analyst and advisor for the past 32 years. He was the founder and the first Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of International Law & Practice at the Detroit College of Law (now the Michigan State University School of Law). He also worked as an intern at The White House under President Ronald Reagan in 1987 in the Office of Public Liaison’s Department of Foreign Policy and Defense.
Since the late 1980s, Antonio has supported a variety of human rights causes around the globe, from condemning the violence in places such as Bosnia and Rwanda, to opposing oppressive government policies in apartheid-era South Africa and dictatorship-era Nicaragua. He wrote a political biography about the first democratically elected president of Croatia in the modern era, My Beloved Croatia: Franjo Tudjman, and he has authored countless white papers and articles including a most recent one that was presented to the World Affairs Council in 2020 entitled: “What’s Flowing in the Nile River? Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and Aswan: The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD); Water Disputes in the Middle East Africa (MEA) Region and Beyond.”
Antonio has a BA in International Studies from the American University in Washington, D.C. (National Honor Society, Sigma Iota Rho for Demonstrated Excellence in Foreign and International Affairs), a Juris Doctor (JD) from the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University (Federal Bar Association’s Rakow Scholarship Award for Publishing), and a Master of International Laws (LLM) from the University of San Diego (University Merit Scholarship).