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PR Center > News & Notice > Oversea
Coway developed the first filter of the world that removes avian influenza and sandy dust 99.77%
(Mar. 6, 2007)
Coway announced that it has developed the world`s first filter that removes avian influenza and sandy dust particulates up to 99.97%. The filter developed by Coway and Japan-based Mitsubishi Paper in partnership has obtained certification for the filtering of avian influenza from both of Japan and China.
It took nine months (April to December, 2006) for the companies to develop the filter that takes out almost completely avian influenza and harmful gases contained in sandy dust which existing filters (HEPA filters) cannot remove.
Prof. Ito Hiroshi at Dotori University in Japan said that results of his experiments proved that the filter removed avian influenza up to 99.97%. Prof. Hiroshi sprayed avian influenza virus to four types of filters, free, HEPA, activated carbon and AI, and then compared results of viruses passed through the filters. In the comparison, it was verified that AI filter exterminates viruses by removing up to 99.97%, while viruses were found survived on animal cells from other filters.
It should be particularly noted that the filter is made from leaves of maidenhair trees and extract from a sumac which are environment-friendly. Maidenhair tree leaves are sold in many countries as medicinal stuff for blood vessel improvement and dementia cure, and used as anti-allergic and anti-viral. Extract of a sumac is a harmless substance known to have excellent performance at removing virus.
At tests conducted at Mitsubishi Paper and Machinery Parts Material Technology Center, Busan Techno Park on the filter for sandy dust, it was verified that air purifier equipped with the filter removed particulates over 99% and the filter alone over 85%. As for SO2, the filter was found to remove up to 90.9% after 50 minutes.
The filter for sandy dust was also found to filter SOx and NOx as well as dust particulates and heavy metals contained in sand storms blown to Korea from China in the spring.
One of strengths of the filter for sandy dust is that it effectively removes dust particulates that cause respiratory illnesses. To make up for the weak point of HEPA filters that should be replaced in short intervals due to early blocking by dusty sand, performance of the filter has been much improved. The capability to remove SOx and NOx that affect chronic lung diseases, obstruction of the airway and central nerve was also added to reinforce the protection against yellow sand storms.
After finish of sandy dust season, the filter for sandy dust can be replaced with other filters, such as the filter for cold and allergy that removes HI, AI and allergies, the filter for removing formaldehyde and flammable organic chemicals in new houses, the filter for removing mold and legionnaires in old houses and the filter for removing harmful dust in yellow sand storms.
Filters for sandy dust come in two types, one for 10-pyeong area (AP-1007AH) and another for 15-pyeong area (AP-1506DH), at the beginning and end of March respectively. Customers can select filters tailored to their conditions.
``We produce air purifiers that remove specific types of harmful substances, such as AI and sandy dust, so that consumers could choose filters suitable to their specific purposes,” said Gyeseop Jun, Coway Environmental Technology Institute. ``We will continue to develop filters with outstanding performance to enlarge our market share in the air purifier market,” he added.
Coway will have a press conference at the 36th floor, Lotte Hotel on Mar. 2 to release the result of tests it jointly conducted with Mitsubishi on filters.
Many persons concerned will attend the conference, including Coway CEO Joon Kee Hong, Executive Director for Overseas Business Inchan Yee, Managing Director of Environmental Technology Institute Gyeseop Jun, Prof. Ito Hiroshi, an authoritative scholar on AI, Mitsubishi Executive Director Iguchi Masaaki, Institute Director Harada Junji, Secretary General of Korean Air Purifier Association Seungil Cha, Korea Indoor Environment Association President & Professor at Hanyang University Yunshin Kim and Professor at Kyungwon University Dongwon Yun.
References
Personal History of Prof. Ito Hiroshi
- Year of Birth: 1967
- Education:
Graduated from Department of Veterinary Science, Division of Agriculture, Gifu University in 1963
Obtained a doctorate in veterinary science from Gifu University
- Current Position: Professor at Epidemiology Center for Research on Human-Animal Common Infection, Division of Agriculture, Dotori University
- Working History as Researcher: 1997 Doctorate Researcher at Saint Jude Children Research Hospital
1997~ 2000 Doctorate Researcher at Division of Veterinary Science, Wisconsin University at Madison
- Research Field: Applied Veterinary Science, Science of Virus
- Major Research Area: Influenza Virus, Newcastle Disease Virus
- Awards: Prize for Research on Livestock Technology (2004, Japan)
- Joined Societies: Japanese Virus Research Society, Japanese Veterinary Society
What is Avian Influenza?
- Bird Flu: A poultry epidemic infected by Avian Influenza Virus type A
- Clinical symptoms: Diverse symptoms, including respiratory symptoms, diarrhea, reduction of egg laying and leg cyanosis, have been observed and reported according to toxicity of virus, age of the host, secondary infections and environmental
conditions of the host.
- Bird flu is classified into high-pathogen, weak-pathogen and non-pathogen depending on toxicity of the virus.
- HPAI is OIE List A disease and classified into Class A domestic animal infectious disease in Korea.
- When HPAI has broken out, all infected fowls should be slaughtered. Otherwise, the infected country may not export poultry products.
- AI virus has a number of subtypes and easily develops mutation. As wild birds don`t show any specific symptoms when they are infected with viruses distributed in nature, AI is one of domestic animal infectious diseases to which the state should pay the keenest attention for epidemic prevention.
- Infection route to men: AI virus has been known not to infect to men directly and since 1997, any cases of infection of high-pathogenic AI viruses to men have not been reported.
As shown by outbreaks of avian influenza in Hong Kong in 1997, Netherlands in 2003, and Vietnam and Thailand in 2004, human infection to avian influenza has been very unusual. Most of the infected were found to have been frequently exposed to feathers, dust and excretions containing virus and have inhaled virus contained in polluted water through respiratory organs.
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