The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to advance the development of new disinfection devices that will reduce the number of food- and water-related illnesses. This project will reduce spreading of infectious diseases, particularly in hospitals, nursing homes, farms, and veterinary clinics. The devices will be used to generate locally on-demand hydrogen-peroxide-based food-grade disinfectant using only water and electricity. The disinfectant will be used during the washing of fresh produce and ready-to-eat food, food packaging, and commercial ice-makers, where conventional disinfectants are not applicable in reasonable concentrations because they would leave residuals, including harmful byproducts and a strong unpleasant odor. The devices will also be used for the direct disinfection of drinking water, ice-makers, and recycled water. The devices will be especially useful for water disinfection in remote locations, where electricity can be generated using local and/or renewable energy sources. On-demand decentralized water disinfection can be useful in remote locations and disasters affecting centralized clean water supplies.This SBIR Phase I project utilizes properties of low-energy electric discharge in water for efficient generation and recombination of hydroxyl radicals that result in the production of hydrogen peroxide with low energy consumption. The technology development includes: 1) Positioning of electrodes in a controlled water stream; 2) Optimization of the power supply; 3) Development of a water circulation system with appropriate local pressure control; 4) Development of an efficient use of the treated water to minimize total consumption of electricity. Verification and validation will take place through standard methods to optimize the system?s disinfection efficiency.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
