The Open Air Factor

A Story of OAFs and SODs, Sausages and circumstances

The Open Air Factor History

First identified in the 1960’s at Porton Down – Microbiological Research Establishment- MRE

Recorded as a Patent Specification in March 1968- Druett & Packman (MRE)

Nature 26th Oct 1968- “An Unstable Germicidal Pollutant in Rural Air”- Druett & Packman (MRE)

The Open Air Factor (1968) “ Substances known collectively as “The

Open Air Factor” which kill bacteria, exist in the atmosphere at Porton”

“The Properties of the open air factor are similar to… ozone-olefin reactions”

“Some viruses are susceptible to an open air factor which is constant from night to night the nature of which is unknown”

The Open Air Factor (1988)

1988- Lincolnshire Sausages made with fresh English Sage have a much longer shelf-life than those made with dried sage

Prof D.C. Ellwood- “If only someone could design an Open Air Factor Generator”

The Open Air Factor (1992-3) 1988-91 Experiments with ozone in

gaseous and solution forms 1992 First Open Air Factor generator built

using an ozone emitting UV tube and Essential Oils extracted from herbs- Sage and Rosemary

Experiments at a UKAS Accredited Lab showed average bacterial cell death of 99.999% in 60 seconds compared to control.

The Open Air Factor (1993)

Patent Granted!

The Open Air Factor (1998) Experiments carried out by MRE Porton Down (Benbough and Bennett) S.C. Johnson& Son Inc. ( Racine WI.)

(Sadler) Harry Reid Centre for Environmental

Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Jacoby-Garrett, Bishop and Stetzenbach)

All variously showed 3-5 log reductions against controls vs Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, E.coli, Klebsiella, and significant reductions in Bacillus spp and Clostridium.

The Open Air Factor We have identified at least 40 kinetic

stages The products of each kinetic stage are

capable of reacting with their own precursors and progeny

Its not taught to microbiologists in Universities

Atmospheric Chemists know all about it Microbiologists don’t read papers on

atmospheric chemistry

The Open Air Factor -Actives

HOCH2OOH HYDROXYMETHYLHYDROPEROXIDE

CH3OOH

METHYL HYDROPEROXIDE CH3CH(OH)OOH

HYDROXYETHYL HYDROPEROXIDE C2H5OOH

ETHYL HYDROPEROXIDE

The Open Air Factor - Actives

H2O2 HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

Plus Many, Many more…..

AND…

The Open Air Factor

OH•

The Hydroxyl Radical

The Open Air Factor 1998-2005 Problems with OAFs In anything other than very low

concentrations it generates a particulate “fog”.

Detectable Ozone must be present in the initial stages

The By-products are difficult to characterise because they are so reactive

The Open Air Factor 2005-2008 The solution to the problems “Plasmalyser” A non thermal plasma generates the ozone,

destroys the particulates, creates hydroxyl radicals, prevents fouling of:

A UV/catalysis stage, which further removes unwanted contaminants increases hydroxyl radicals

Finally residual ozone is blended with terpenes to create Open Air Factor

The Open Air Factor- Chestnuts!

“If it kills bacteria and viruses so effectively it must be harmful to animals”

“Its Ozone that’s the biocide”

“It contains ………..(fill in the blank) which has been shown in some studies to be harmful/irritant/ deadly…”

Open Air Factor

In 2008 tests at the Building Research Establishment’s Indoor Air Quality Monitoring Unit

Ozone –below 30ppb

No hazardous by-products when compared to international standards

The Open Air Factor- Effectiveness

It kills airborne virus and bacteria, often within seconds of exposure

It kills on surfaces It does not require all of the air in a room to

constantly pass through a device It works 24/7 It is benign to humans and other animals. It is neutralized by Superoxide dismutases

(SODs)

The Open Air Factor- Plasmalyser Generated.

Comparison TestBacteria Aerosolised equidistant between device and AGI

Sampler

02000400060008000

100001200014000160001800020000

1m 2m 3m 4m 5m 6m 7m 8m 9m 10m

Sample distance from device

Su

rviv

ing

Bacte

ria a

t 1 h

ou

r

Control

Plasmalyser

Hepa Filter

UV Catalysis

Ionizer

Open Air Factor- The Next Generation Picture Courtesy of Tri-Air Developments Ltd.