AREA DECONTAMINATION VIA LOW-LEVEL CONCENTRATION OF GERMICIDAL AGENT

• US 20090263499A1
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Lukasik, Robert G., Lin, Szu-Min, Platt, Robert C. JR.
• Application Number:
  US12/105,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20090263499A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/616
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/202 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/25 Rooms in buildings, passenger compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/015 using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone A61L9/20 takes precedence ; evaporation in general B01B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/14 using sprayed or atomised substances including air-liquid contact processes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/16 by purification, e.g. by filtering; by sterilisation; by ozonisation
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/22 using UV light
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/24 using sterilising media
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/26 using ozone

Abstract

Provided is a method of decontaminating an area, and related device. The method comprises releasing a germicidal agent into the area from a germicidal source, controlling the germicidal agent concentration in the area to a predetermined concentration that does not exceed a Permissible Exposure Limit, and contacting microorganisms in the area with the germicidal agent to decontaminate the area. The device comprises a releasing mechanism configured to release a germicidal agent from a germicidal source at a predetermined concentration into the area such that the predetermined concentration of germicidal agent in the area does not exceed a Permissible Exposure Limit.

Claims

1. A method of decontaminating an area, comprising:

releasing a germicidal agent into the area from a germicidal source;

controlling the germicidal agent concentration in the area to a predetermined concentration that does not exceed a Permissible Exposure Limit; and

contacting microorganisms in the area with the germicidal agent to decontaminate the area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the releasing occurs in a form selected from the group consisting of a gas, a vapor, a mist, and combinations of any thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the germicidal agent is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide and ozone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the germicidal agent is hydrogen peroxide and the germicidal source is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen peroxide solution and a solid peroxide complex.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the germicidal agent is ozone and the germicidal source is oxygen.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling occurs at a frequency selected from the group consisting of continuous, intermittent, periodic, and combinations of any thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising adjusting the frequency by at least one of a programmable and a manual selectable set point.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the area is selected from the group consisting of a room, an office, a home, an airport, a hospital facility, a hospital patient room, an intensive care unit, an ambulance, an operating room, a health club facility, a restaurant, a laboratory, a restroom facility, an animal facility, and combinations of any thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of a virus, a vegetative bacteria, a fungi, a mycobacteria, a bacterial spore, and combinations of any thereof.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

15. A method of decontaminating an area, comprising:

releasing a germicidal agent into an area from a germicidal source;

controlling a concentration of the germicidal agent in the area to a predetermined level in standard operation that does not exceed a Permissible Exposure Limit;

increasing the concentration of the germicidal agent in the area to a level that exceeds the Permissible Exposure Limit for acute decontamination for a period of time; and

contacting microorganisms in the area with the germicidal agent to decontaminate the area.

16. A device for decontaminating an area, comprising:

a releasing mechanism configured to release a germicidal agent from a germicidal source at a predetermined concentration into the area such that the predetermined concentration of germicidal agent in the area does not exceed a Permissible Exposure Limit.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the germicidal agent is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide and ozone.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the germicidal agent is hydrogen peroxide and the germicidal source is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen peroxide solution and a solid peroxide complex.

21. The device of claim 16 wherein the germicidal agent is ozone and the germicidal source is oxygen.

23. The device of claim 16, wherein the germicidal agent is released into at least one form selected from the group consisting of a gas, a vapor, a mist, and combinations of any thereof.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the germicidal agent is produced by a mechanism selected from the group consisting of a gas generator, a mist generator, a humidifier, a heater, a UV-emitting device, an arc discharge, and a corona discharge, and combinations of any thereof.

27. The device of claim 16, further comprising a controller configured to adjust the operation of the device to a frequency selected from the group consisting of continuous, intermittent, periodic, and combinations of any thereof.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the frequency by at least one of a programmable and a manual selectable set point.

30. The device of claim 16, further comprising a sensor configured to provide feedback control.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the sensor is located on the device or remotely located in the area.

32. The device of claim 16, wherein the area is selected from the group consisting of a room, an office, a home, an airport, a hospital facility, a hospital patient room, an intensive care unit, an ambulance, an operating room, a health club facility, a restaurant, a laboratory, a restroom facility, an animal facility, and combinations of any thereof.

33. The device of claim 16, wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of a virus, a vegetative bacteria, a fungi, a mycobacteria, a bacterial spore, and combinations of any thereof.

34. The device of claim 16, further comprising a flow controller configured to control the concentration of the germicidal agent in the area.

35. A HVAC system comprising the device of claim 16.

36. The device of claim 16 further comprising a fan or blower.

37. The device of claim 16 further comprising a use life indicator.

17. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

38. A device for decontaminating an area, comprising:

a releasing mechanism configured to release a germicidal agent from a germicidal source at a predetermined concentration into the area such that in standard operation does not exceed a Permissible Exposure Limit, the releasing mechanism further configured to release germicidal agent from the germicidal source at a concentration that exceeds the Permissible Exposure Limit for acute decontamination for a period of time.