Wellisair Hydroxyl Radical Technology

Wellisair’s innovative patented technology efficiently generates and expands hydroxyl radicals (OH) that through advanced oxidation processes achieve:

  • Eliminate up to 99.9% of pathogenic microorganisms (viruses and bacteria)

  • Improve air quality by reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and PM particles in suspension

  • Eliminate odors

The hydroxyl radical (OH-) is one of the most important oxidants in nature, being vital in the elimination of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.

Wellisair uses this clean, safe and totally harmless technology for humans that, through the constant and non-harmful production of hydroxyl radicals, produces a chain reaction that rapidly eliminates pathogenic microorganisms from an area of up to 50-60 m2.

Using hydroxyl radicals, in addition to being efficient to disinfect the air and surfaces, is a harmless method for humans according to a study published in the scientific journal IJORS “International Journal of Engineering Research and Science”. Consult the article.

This technology was developed by the Military Defense for Bacteriological Warfare (CBR – Chemical / Biological / Radiological) in the 1970s. Later it was marketed from 1990 in numerous European hospitals, showing excellent results in the elimination of harmful substances such as bacteria, germs and viruses, noxious gases, mold and respiratory allergens that result in polluted environments.

Within Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), hydroxyl radicals (OH), from small concentrations, perform biocidal functions in viruses, bacteria, allergens and mold, and enable the degradation of organic compounds in the air to harmless and water soluble mineral forms or compounds.

The hydroxyl radical OH is the most important natural oxidant in tropospheric chemistry. It is often referred to as an atmospheric “detergent” as it reacts with many pollutants, initiating the process of purifying them. It also plays an important role in the emoval of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.

The importance of Advanced Oxidation Processes (POA) is that their application destroys the pollutant, and does not concentrate or transfer it to the environment. In this way, a total or almost total mineralization of organic pollutants is achieved, that is, they have application in the destruction of the vast majority of organic compounds, especially non-biodegradable compounds such as organochlorines, PCBs, PAHs, etc. It is a clean and safe technology.

Hydroxyl radicals have excellent advantages over the 3 main chemical disinfectants based on chlorine, alkali and ammonium-alcohol-alkali:

  • Lack of selectivity of pathogenic microorganisms due to the high oxidation potential of 2.8V (slightly lower than fluorine 3.08V).

  • The OH processing time is very short. The chemical reaction rate of OH is 107 times higher than other oxidants such as ozone, peroxide or chlorine.

  • It is a green oxidant, es decir, that is, hydroxyl radicals decompose into water (H2O) and oxygen (O2) without residual oxidants after their biochemical reactions.

The Wellisair process of purification and disinfection of the air and the surfaces through hydroxyl radicals occurs when they come into contact with pollutants, and they react as follows:

  • Breaks the protective membranes of viruses and bacteria (lipid reaction):

  • Alters the genetic information of viruses and bacteria (lipid peroxidation reaction):
  • It oxidizes volatile organic compounds VOCs in heavier products that precipitate to the soil:
  • It decomposes particles suspended in the air.

Once the oxidation process has started, the effect called “respiratory explosion” occurs, which consists of a series of cascading reactions that produce more hydroxyl radicals and thus accelerate the process of elimination of viruses and bacteria.

In this way, Wellisair produces a chain effect that efficiently purifies and disinfects the air and surfaces of an area of up to 50-60m2.

Wellisair evaporates carefully standardized amounts of a terpene such as d-limonene or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), from the cartridge, which react with a controlled emission of ozone in low concentrations (< 0.02 ppm) generating a constant and non-harmful production of radicals hydroxyls.

Wellisair’s ozone emission, UL certified in an external laboratory, is below the limit concentration issued by the WHO in the 2000 Environmental Limit Values ​​(VLA) for the general public in exposures of up to 8 hours.

Therefore, it is a safe, harmless in humans and effective method to quickly eliminate pathogenic microorganisms suspended in the air and deposited on surfaces.