Micro-organisms
Thanks to a revolutionary purification system, the Ikibox purifiers are able to purify the indoor air to 99.9999% in only 10 minutes. Our units are particularly effective against micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria and mould.
Viruses
The virus is one of the smallest micro-organisms in existence. It is not composed of a cell, but of a protein shell – the capsid – which contains its DNA or RNA.
In order to reproduce, viruses must invade a host cell: this is called infection. Depending on the host cell, the virus will evolve and take on additional characteristics.
Viruses travel through aerosols and particles containing water and micro-organisms such as bacteria. They travel very easily through the air. If they have no cellular support, they die or become latent. The lifespan of a virus in the air can range from a few minutes to 48 hours.
Viruses are part of our daily lives. They are even likely to be the cause of life, just like bacteria, moulds and fungi. Today, the number of viruses on Earth is estimated at 10E31 and we know of only 10,000. We breathe in about 200,000 of them every minute.
Bacteria
Bacteria are living micro-organisms that have contributed to the appearance of all forms of life on Earth. They have enabled the establishment of the carbon cycle, but also the fixation of nitrogen in the atmosphere. We find them in all living things.
Some of them play a protective role: they are our first shield against external aggressions and they ensure our energy supply via the pre-degradation of food.
The longevity and multiplication of bacteria are very variable according to their environment. They can survive as long as there is a supply of nutrients including H20, CO2 and depending on the ambient temperatures. We find them in the air, water and soil.
They are diffused by the aqueous phases of air or water, by multiplication and by contact if the host fulfils the host conditions.
- 10E12 colonize our skin;
- 10E10 colonize our mouths;
- 10E14 colonize our intestines.
Mould and extreme humidity
Moulds (or fungi, or yeasts) are the most common micro-organisms in our daily lives. They are spores that grow in damp and hot places and on many types of surfaces: wood, insulation materials, ceiling tiles, cardboard, paper and fabric…
They are responsible for breathing difficulties (asthma or allergic reactions), irritation of the eyes, nose or throat, and cause coughs and phlegm. Wheezing and shortness of breath are apparent symptoms.
Discovered and used since Antiquity for their capacity of degradation, moulds are found in beer, bread… They played an important role in the appearance and construction of life on earth. Some moulds live in symbiosis with our system and help us in the process of digestion and regulation of our intestinal and body biotope.
Others are dangerous and secrete mycotoxins. Some spores are allergenic: Aspergillus, for example, can have a serious impact on our health. In this case, the majority of attacks are airborne to the respiratory tract.
They are present in the air, water and soil in active form or as spores. They multiply by forming colonies, transported by air during the sporulation phases.
They multiply in environments that are conducive to temperature, nutrient support and water. Water aerosols promote the movement and growth of moulds. But if the gaseous and aqueous phases of the air are perfectly cleaned, proliferation is stopped.
Only so-called plasma-catalysis technologies, such as Ikibox, are capable of destroying pollutants and contaminants from both phases without changing the phase equilibrium or leaving toxic by-products
