WIREDGOV

STFC supported research at the University of Glasgow into a novel method for creating and handling ozone is being exploited by spin out company Anacail which has recently received over £750,000 of seed funding. Their revolutionary development provides an innovative way of sterilising packaged consumer goods.

The project was initially supported through the stages of intellectual property identification and protection by a jointly funded SUPA (Scottish Universities Physics Alliance) and STFC IPS Fellow. The team also secured follow on funding from STFC, proof of concept support from the Glasgow EPSRC funded knowledge transfer account, and a SUPA physical and life sciences fellowship.

Ozone is a highly effective germicidal sterilising agent but its toxicity has hampered its use beyond the classical function of large-scale water sterilisation. However, Glasgow’s novel concept is able to use ozone as a decontaminant of material inside sealed packages, by striking a plasma in a thin layer on the inside of the container. This plasma generates ozone, which circulates around the contents which acts as a sterilising germicide.

This approach allows for decontamination, without opening the packaging or compromising the seal. Unused ozone quickly decays back to conventional oxygen, leaving no toxic residues. Since the ozone is created on demand and in situ, there are no storage or environmental problems, making it ideal for deployment on production lines, initially focusing on the food packaging industry – a sector which it is estimated was worth £5.6Bn in 2010.

More details at the University of Glasgow press release (link opens in a new window).