Allergen inactivation method, allergen inactivation system, and allergen inactivation device

Abstract

To provide an allergen inactivation method, an allergen inactivation system, and an allergen inactivation device that can efficiently inactivate pollen-derived allergens in an indoor space or in a gas flow space connected to an indoor space.SOLUTION: The allergen inactivation method includes: a step (a) of spraying a weakly alkaline liquid in an indoor space where pollen is present or in a gas flow space connected to the indoor space, bringing the liquid into contact with the pollen to break the outer wall of the pollen; and a step (b) of, during or after the execution of the step (a), supplying at least one kind selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet light, ozone-containing gas, and ion-containing gas into the indoor space or the gas flow space to inactivate allergens derived from the pollen.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for inactivating pollen-derived allergens present in an indoor space or a gas-flow space communicating with an indoor space, and a system and apparatus suitable for use in said method. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the number of people suffering from allergic symptoms (also known as "hay fever") caused by pollen from plants such as cedar, cypress, and ragweed has been increasing, becoming a major social problem.

[0003] Hay fever develops when pollen and its allergens enter the body via the nasal cavity, etc. More specifically, when pollen and its allergens enter the body, they come into contact with biological tissues such as mucous membranes. The biological tissues recognize the allergens as foreign substances, and symptoms such as runny nose and sneezing appear as a reaction to eliminate the allergens from the body.

[0004] In order to suppress or reduce the symptoms of hay fever, for example, as shown in the following Patent Document 1, a method is used in which an air purifier or the like is operated in an indoor space where people are active, and pollen is collected through a filter or the like. Also, in order to reduce the amount of pollen entering the indoor space, a pollen-collecting filter may be placed in a ventilation opening or the like that connects the indoor space to, for example, the outside space. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-93639 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6950522 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, even if a filter such as an air purifier captures pollen, the reactivity of the allergens contained in the pollen is not lost. This is also true for filters placed in ventilation openings, etc. For this reason, it is expected that allergens will diffuse from the surface of the pollen captured by these filters and spread throughout the indoor space. Therefore, methods of capturing pollen with filters, such as operating an air purifier, are insufficient as a measure against hay fever.

[0007] As mentioned above, hay fever develops when pollen-derived allergens come into contact with biological tissues such as mucous membranes. In other words, in order to suppress the symptoms of hay fever, it is effective to inactivate pollen-derived allergens in indoor spaces where people are active, or in spaces connected to indoor spaces and through which gas containing pollen and allergens can flow (hereinafter referred to as "gas flow space" for convenience). Here, "inactivation" refers to the concept of denaturing the structure of allergens to suppress or reduce their reactivity to biological tissues such as mucous membranes.

[0008] Meanwhile, the present applicant has developed a technology for treating bacteria or viruses in air using an ultraviolet light source (for example, see Patent Document 2 above). Allergens are proteins, and it is believed that the structure of allergens changes when irradiated with ultraviolet light. In other words, it is expected that allergens will be inactivated by irradiation with ultraviolet light.

[0009] In view of the above, the present inventors have investigated the inactivation of allergens derived from cedar pollen by irradiating cedar pollen with ultraviolet light, but have encountered a problem that the allergens contained in the cedar pollen cannot be efficiently inactivated even when cedar pollen is irradiated with ultraviolet light.

[0010] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide an allergen inactivation method capable of efficiently inactivating pollen-derived allergens in an indoor space or a gas-flowing space connected to an indoor space. It also aims to provide an allergen inactivation system and an allergen inactivation device suitable for carrying out the allergen inactivation method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The method for inactivating an allergen according to the present invention comprises: A step (a) of spraying a weakly alkaline liquid in an indoor space where pollen is present or in a gas flow space connected to the indoor space, bringing the liquid into contact with the pollen, and cracking the outer wall of the pollen; and a step (b) of supplying at least one gas selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet light, an ozone-containing gas, and an ion-containing gas to the indoor space or the gas flow space during or after the step (a) to inactivate the pollen-derived allergens.

[0012] In this specification, "weakly alkaline" means that the pH is 8.0 to 11.0.

[0013] The present inventors speculate as follows about the reason why allergens contained in cedar pollen could not be efficiently inactivated by simply irradiating the cedar pollen with ultraviolet light.

[0014] It is known that the allergen Cry j1 exists on the surface of cedar pollen, and the allergen Cry j2 exists inside cedar pollen. More specifically, cedar pollen has countless tiny particles called Ubisch bodies on its outer surface, and Cry j1 adheres to the periphery of the Ubisch bodies.

[0015] The outer wall of Japanese cedar pollen has numerous depressions and protrusions formed by Jubisch corpuscles. Therefore, even if the Japanese cedar pollen is irradiated with ultraviolet light, it is thought that the ultraviolet light is blocked by the depressions and protrusions made of Jubisch corpuscles, making it difficult for it to reach Cry j1.

[0016] In addition, Cry j2 exists inside the outer wall of cedar pollen. It is thought that because the outer wall blocks ultraviolet light, Cry j2 does not receive enough ultraviolet light.

[0017] Based on the above study, the present inventors have noticed that the outer wall of pollen cracks when it is brought into contact with a weakly alkaline liquid. In other words, it is believed that the surface area of ​​pollen increases when the outer wall of pollen cracks. Therefore, by irradiating pollen with a cracked outer wall with ultraviolet light, the amount of ultraviolet light blocked by the unevenness formed by the Ubisch corpuscles is reduced, and the ultraviolet light can be efficiently irradiated to Cry j1 attached to the outer wall of the pollen.

[0018] Furthermore, by cracking the outer wall of the pollen, Cry j2 present inside the outer wall of the pollen becomes more easily exposed to the outside, allowing Cry j2 to be efficiently irradiated with UV light. In addition, by cracking the outer wall of the pollen, it is expected that Cry j1 attached to the outer wall of the pollen will be separated from the pollen.

[0019] In addition, as a method for inactivating an allergen, an ozone-containing gas or an ion-containing gas may be brought into contact with the allergen. By bringing an ozone-containing gas or an ion-containing gas into contact with the allergen, the structure of the allergen is modified, and the allergen can be inactivated. Here, even when these gases are supplied to an indoor space to inactivate the allergen, the gas can be efficiently brought into contact with the allergen by cracking the outer wall of the pollen in the indoor space. The same is true in a gas flow space. In other words, according to the above method, pollen-derived allergens in the indoor space or in a gas flow space connected to the indoor space can be efficiently inactivated.

[0020] A specific example will be described later in the section "Mode for Carrying Out the Invention," but an example of a gas flow space is the internal space of an air purifier that circulates the atmosphere in an indoor space. For example, by carrying out the above method in the internal space of an air purifier, pollen-derived allergens taken into the internal space by the air purifier can be efficiently inactivated.

[0021] In addition, pollen exists not only in a state of floating in an indoor space, but also in a state of adhering to walls and floors. Therefore, even if an air purifier or the like that circulates the atmosphere in the indoor space is operated, pollen may remain on the walls and the like. If pollen remains in the indoor space, the pollen will spread allergens throughout the indoor space. In contrast, by carrying out the above method in an indoor space, it is possible to inactivate allergens derived from pollen that exist not only in the space but also on the walls and floors. In view of this, it is preferable that the above method is carried out in an indoor space.

[0022] The step (b) may include a step of irradiating the indoor space or the gas flow space with the ultraviolet light having a main emission wavelength in the range of 200 nm to 230 nm.

[0023] Here, the term "main emission wavelength" refers to a wavelength band that exhibits a light output that is 50% or more of the light output at the peak wavelength.

[0024] Ultraviolet light in the above wavelength range is easily absorbed by the proteins that make up the surface of human skin. Therefore, ultraviolet light in the above wavelength range is less likely to penetrate into the skin and has a low impact on the human body. Therefore, the above method can be implemented in a variety of situations.

[0025] In addition, allergens are proteins. Considering that human proteins exhibit high absorption of ultraviolet light in the above wavelength range, it is considered that pollen-derived allergens also exhibit high absorption of ultraviolet light in the above wavelength range.

[0026] That is, according to the above method, pollen-derived allergens can be inactivated more efficiently while reducing the impact on people in the indoor space. From this viewpoint, it is more preferable that the integrated intensity of the ultraviolet light in the wavelength range of 240 nm to 300 nm is at least 5% or less of the integrated intensity in the wavelength range of 200 nm to 230 nm. More specifically, for example, an optical filter that limits the passage of ultraviolet light in the wavelength range of 240 nm to 300 nm may be applied to an ultraviolet light irradiation device that emits the ultraviolet light.

[0027] The step (b) may include a step of supplying the ozone-containing gas, with the liquid-derived mist contained in the gas flow, to the indoor space or the gas flow space.

[0028] According to the above method, the weak alkaline liquid can contact the pollen, and at the same time, the ozone-containing gas can contact the allergens contained in the pollen and the allergens separated by the cracking of the pollen. As a result, the time required for inactivating the allergens in the indoor space or the gas flow space can be shortened, which is preferable.

[0029] From the viewpoint of reducing the impact on people who are active in the indoor space, the liquid may be a sodium bicarbonate solution. Since sodium bicarbonate is easily available, it is a suitable material.

[0030] The steps (a) and (b) may be performed in the indoor space and may be performed during a time period when no people are present.

[0031] Since the liquid is weakly alkaline, the effect on the human body is small. However, some people are sensitive to weakly alkaline liquids. In addition, when a person is present in an indoor space, it is assumed that the person will eat or drink. Although the effect on the human body is small, spraying a mist of weakly alkaline liquid into the indoor space while eating or drinking is likely to cause discomfort to the person. In addition, although it is possible to adjust the amount of ultraviolet light, ozone-containing gas, and ion-containing gas generated while taking into account the effect on the human body, there is a possibility that the person will feel uncomfortable, as with the mist. In response to this, by carrying out the process of contacting the liquid with pollen and the process of supplying ultraviolet light or the like to the indoor space during a time when no one is present in the indoor space, it is possible to inactivate allergens without causing the above-mentioned discomfort.

[0032] The time period when no one is present in the indoor space may be, for example, a time period when people are out. In the case of an indoor space such as an office or factory, the time period may be a time period after working hours.

[0033] The step (a) may be carried out for 3 hours or more.

[0034] In order to increase the effectiveness of inactivating allergens in an indoor space, it is preferable to carry out step (a) for a longer period of time when no one is present.

[0035] The steps (a) and (b) are performed in the gas flow space; and A filter for preventing the passage of pollen may be disposed in the gas flow space.

[0036] The filter arranged in the gas flow space captures a large amount of pollen. By carrying out the steps (a) and (b) in the gas flow space in which the filter is arranged, the allergens contained in the pollen captured by the filter can be efficiently inactivated. This also makes the above method preferable because it prevents allergens from entering the indoor space in a state where they are reactive to biological tissues.

[0037] The allergen deactivation system according to the present invention comprises: A sprayer that sprays a weak alkaline liquid into the indoor space or a gas flow space connected to the indoor space; an inactivation unit that is disposed in the indoor space or the gas flow space and inactivates pollen-derived allergens present in the indoor space or the gas flow space; The sprayer and a control unit that controls the operation of the inactivation unit, The inactivation unit is at least one selected from the group consisting of an ultraviolet light source that emits ultraviolet light, an ozonizer that generates an ozone-containing gas, and an ion generator that generates an ion-containing gas.

[0038] In addition, in the above inactivation system, The control unit is characterized in that, when it receives a start signal transmitted from outside the area in which the sprayer and the inactivation unit are located, it executes control to operate the sprayer and the inactivation unit for a predetermined time or until it receives a stop signal.

[0039] According to the above configuration, even if a person is outside the indoor space, the inactivation of allergens in the indoor space can be executed by sending a signal to the control unit to start the system. Moreover, by sending the signal to the control unit, the inactivation of allergens in the indoor space or the gas flow space can be easily executed at any timing, and the above configuration is preferable.

[0040] The nebulizer and the inactivation unit may be housed in the same housing.

[0041] By housing the sprayer and the ultraviolet light source, or the sprayer and the ozonizer, in the same housing, the area required for installation of the allergen deactivation system can be reduced. In other words, the allergen deactivation system according to the above configuration can be easily installed even in a relatively small space, such as the interior of an automobile.

[0042] The allergen deactivation device according to the present invention comprises: a storage section for storing a weakly alkaline liquid; an atomizer that atomizes the liquid supplied from the storage section; A first opening for spraying the liquid in a mist form generated by the atomizer outward; An inactivation unit for inactivating pollen-derived allergens, the inactivation unit being composed of at least one selected from the group consisting of an ultraviolet light source that emits ultraviolet light, an ozonizer that emits an ozone-containing gas, and an ion generator that generates an ion-containing gas; an extraction unit that extracts, to the outside, the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source, the ozone-containing gas generated by the ozonizer, or the ion-containing gas generated by the ion generator; A housing that houses the inactivation unit together with the atomizer, The first opening and the removal portion are both formed as part of a side surface of the housing.

[0043] The allergen deactivation device having the above-mentioned configuration can spray a weak alkaline liquid into an indoor space and supply ultraviolet light, an ozone-containing gas, or an ion-containing gas to the indoor space. In other words, the allergen deactivation device having the above-mentioned configuration can easily perform the above-mentioned allergen deactivation method in any indoor space by simply moving the device.

[0044] In the allergen deactivation device, The inactivation unit is composed of the ozonizer or the ion generator, the outlet is a second opening for blowing the ozone-containing gas or the ion-containing gas outward, The first opening may also serve as the second opening.

[0045] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the device configuration is simplified and the space required for the device is reduced. As a result, the device can be easily installed even in a small indoor space, and therefore the above-mentioned configuration is preferable. Effect of the Invention

[0046] According to the present invention, there is provided an allergen inactivation method capable of efficiently inactivating pollen-derived allergens in an indoor space or a gas flow space connected to an indoor space. Also, according to the present invention, there are provided an allergen inactivation system and an allergen inactivation device suitable for carrying out the allergen inactivation method. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0047] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of an allergen deactivation system according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an ultraviolet light irradiation device. [Diagram 3]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration example of an ozonizer. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a verification experimental system. [Figure 5A] 1 is a micrograph of a sample. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a micrograph of a different sample from that in FIG. 5A. [Figure 6] 1 is a micrograph of a sample that has not been contacted with the mist. [Figure 7] 13 is a graph showing the results of the verification. [Figure 8] 13 is a graph showing the results of the verification. [Figure 9] 13 is a graph showing the results of the verification. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an inactivation system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an inactivation system. [Figure 12] 1 is a diagram showing an example of an operation schedule for a sprayer and an ultraviolet light irradiation device. [Figure 13A] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an inactivation system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 13B] 1 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of an inactivation system. [Figure 14] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an allergen deactivation device. [Figure 15] 13 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of another allergen deactivation device. [Figure 16] 13 is a diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of yet another configuration example of the allergen deactivation device. [Figure 17] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of an allergen deactivation device, similar to FIG. 15. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an allergen deactivation method, an allergen deactivation system, and an allergen deactivation device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate.

[0049] [First embodiment] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of an allergen inactivation system according to the present invention. The inactivation system 1 is installed for the purpose of inactivating allergens (not shown) derived from pollen P1 in an indoor space R1. The indoor space R1 is a space that people can enter, such as a living room, a room in a house, or a vehicle. The inactivation system 1 can also be applied to buildings such as houses, business establishments such as factories and offices, and passenger cabins of automobiles, ships, airplanes, etc. Users of the inactivation system 1 include residents of houses and managers of business establishments, etc.

[0050] Hereinafter, the configuration of the inactivation system 1 will be described, along with an explanation of an allergen inactivation method that can be performed by the inactivation system 1.

[0051] (Step S1: Spraying weakly alkaline liquid) 1, the inactivation system 1 includes a sprayer 10 that turns weakly alkaline liquid 17 into a mist and sprays it. The sprayer 10 generates a mist M1 from the liquid 17 contained in a storage section 12, and sprays the mist M1 from an opening 14.

[0052] The liquid 17 is sprayed to crack the outer wall of the pollen P1 in the indoor space R1. A conventionally known configuration can be used as the sprayer 10. For example, the mist M1 may be generated using a spray, a steamer, or the like, and the liquid 17 may be sprayed into the indoor space R1.

[0053] In this specification, the term "mist" refers to a state in which the liquid 17 has an average particle size of 1 μm to 50 μm or less and is dispersed in the air.

[0054] As an example, the liquid 17 is a sodium bicarbonate solution. The material constituting the liquid 17 is arbitrary as long as the pH of the liquid 17 is weakly alkaline. For example, the liquid 17 may be alkaline electrolytic water (also called "alkaline ionized water") that typically has a pH in the range of 8.0 to 10.0. The liquid 17 may be an aqueous solution containing a compound selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide as a solute. In the aqueous solution, a plurality of types of these compounds may be mixed. The pH of the liquid 17 can be appropriately adjusted depending on the concentration of the solute, and the pH of the liquid 17 is preferably 11.0 or less, more preferably 10.0 or less, and particularly preferably 9.0 or less.

[0055] By spraying the mist M1 in the indoor space R1, the mist M1 comes into contact with the pollen P1 present in the indoor space R1. The effect of bringing the mist M1 derived from the liquid 17 into contact with the pollen P1 will be described in detail in the verification section below.

[0056] Step S1 corresponds to the process (a).

[0057] (Step S2: Inactivation of allergens) In step S1, after or simultaneously with the liquid 17 being sprayed into the indoor space R1, the allergens derived from pollen P1 are inactivated. For this purpose, the inactivation system 1 includes an ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 as an inactivation unit, as shown in Fig. 1. The ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 irradiates the indoor space R1 with ultraviolet light L1. Fig. 1 shows an example in which the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 is disposed vertically above the indoor space R1.

[0058] Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20. Some of the components of the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 are simplified in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2, the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 includes an excimer lamp 21, a lighting circuit 22 that lights the excimer lamp 21, a driver 23 that drives the lighting circuit 22, and a housing 24.

[0059] The excimer lamp 21 has an arc tube in which a light emitting gas is sealed, and a pair of electrodes arranged on the outer surface of the arc tube. The excimer lamp 21 is turned on by the supply of power from a lighting circuit 22, and emits ultraviolet light L1.

[0060] The housing 24 houses the excimer lamp 21, the lighting circuit 22, and the driver 23, and has a light extraction surface 25 at one location on the side. When the excimer lamp 21 is turned on, ultraviolet light L1 is extracted from the light extraction surface 25 (see also FIG. 1).

[0061] As an example, the light emitting gas of the excimer lamp 21 contains krypton gas and chlorine gas, so that ultraviolet light L1 having a main emission wavelength in the range of 200 nm to 230 nm is obtained. The wavelength of the ultraviolet light L1 can be adjusted depending on the type of the light emitting gas. For example, the light emitting gas may contain krypton gas and bromine gas. The ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 may be composed of a solid-state light source such as an LED.

[0062] In this way, the allergens derived from the pollen P1 are inactivated by irradiating the indoor space R1 with the ultraviolet light L1. In particular, after performing step S1, the allergens can be efficiently inactivated by irradiating the indoor space R1 with the ultraviolet light L1. This point will be described in detail in the verification section below.

[0063] In addition, it is possible to inactivate allergens by bringing ozone into contact with the allergens and thereby denaturing the structure of the allergens. In view of this, in order to inactivate allergens, an ozone-containing gas may be supplied to the indoor space R1 instead of the ultraviolet light L1.

[0064] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration example of an ozonizer that generates an ozone-containing gas as an inactivation unit. As shown in Fig. 3, an ozonizer 40 includes a housing 45 that houses a pipe 44, an excimer lamp 41 arranged in the pipe 44, a lighting circuit 42 that lights the excimer lamp 41, and a driver 43 that drives the lighting circuit 42. The housing 45 has an opening 46 at a part of a side surface for blowing out an ozone-containing gas G2.

[0065] The excimer lamp 41 is turned on by a lighting circuit 42 and emits ultraviolet light L2.

[0066] The ozonizer 40 uses a blower mechanism (not shown) to pass the ambient gas G1 from the room space R1 in which the ozonizer 40 is installed through the inlet 47 into the piping 44. The ozonizer 40 irradiates the ambient gas G1, more specifically, oxygen molecules in the ambient gas G1, with ultraviolet light L2 to generate an ozone-containing gas G2. The reaction in which ozone is generated from oxygen molecules is expressed by the following formulas (1) and (2). O2+ hν → O( 1 D) + O( 3 P) ...(1) O( 3 P) + O2 → O3… (2)

[0067] From the viewpoint of efficiently absorbing the ultraviolet light L2 into oxygen molecules, it is preferable that the ultraviolet light L2 has a main emission wavelength in the range of 150 nm to 200 nm. In view of this, the light emitting gas of the excimer lamp 41 is, for example, xenon gas.

[0068] Although not shown in the drawings, a pair of electrodes may be disposed in the pipe 44, and the ozone-containing gas G2 may be generated by a silent discharge method. In this case, a filter for removing NOx from the ozone-containing gas G2 according to the amount of discharge between the electrodes may be disposed in the opening 46.

[0069] Step S2 corresponds to the step (b).

[0070] [Verification 1] The effect of bringing the weakly alkaline liquid 17 into contact with the pollen P1 was examined, and will be described below.

[0071] (Sample 1) Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the experimental system of this verification. In this verification, a slide glass 61 on which cedar pollen P1 was placed was placed in a glass box 60 having a volume of 100 L. Also placed in the glass box 60 was a humidifier 62 that turned a weakly alkaline liquid 17 into mist. The liquid 17 was an aqueous solution with sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) as solutes and adjusted to a pH of 8.0.

[0072] The humidifier 62 generates mist M1 by ultrasonically oscillating the liquid 17. The mist M1 derived from the liquid 17 was generated in a glass box 60, and the mist M1 was brought into contact with pollen on a slide glass 61 to obtain a sample 1.

[0073] Then, the appearance of the pollen P1 in the sample 1 was observed under a microscope.

[0074] (Sample 2) The experiment was carried out under the same conditions as for Sample 1 above, except that liquid 17 was tap water with a pH of 7.5.

[0075] [Results of verification 1] Fig. 5A is a micrograph of sample 1. Fig. 5B is a micrograph of sample 2. More specifically, Fig. 5A is a photo of sample 1 3 hours after the generation of mist M1, and Fig. 5B is a photo of sample 2 5 hours after the generation of mist M1. As a comparative example, Fig. 6 shows a micrograph of pollen P1 that has not been contacted with mist M1.

[0076] As is clear from a comparison of Figures 5B and 6, when the liquid 17 was tap water, no change was observed in the external shape of the pollen P1 even after 5 hours. The relative humidity inside the glass box 60 at the time of observation of the photograph in Figure 5B was 90%. In view of this, it can be said that the liquid 17 was in sufficient contact with the pollen P1. In other words, it can be seen that the appearance of the pollen P1 did not change and the outer wall did not crack even when it came into contact with tap water with a pH of 7.5.

[0077] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 5A, when the liquid 17 was sodium bicarbonate water, it can be seen that many of the outer walls of the pollen P1 cracked, changing the outer shape of the pollen P1. In other words, it is presumed that the surface area of ​​the pollen P1 increases when the weakly alkaline liquid 17 comes into contact with the pollen P1. It is also considered that the exposed Cry j1 and Cry j2 increase as the outer walls of the pollen P1 crack. The relative humidity inside the glass box 60 at the time of observation of the photograph in Fig. 5A was 80%.

[0078] The outer wall of the pollen P1 is mainly composed of cellulose and pectin. It is believed that the outer wall of the pollen P1 is cracked by hydrolysis of the cellulose and pectin by the weakly alkaline liquid 17. Also, considering that the outer wall of the pollen P1 does not crack in tap water, which has a neutral pH, it is presumed that the higher the pH of the liquid 17, the greater the effect of cracking the pollen P1. In other words, from this verification, it is believed that liquid 17 with a pH of 8 or higher is capable of cracking the pollen P1.

[0079] In addition, as the alkalinity of the liquid increases, the effect on the human body increases. In view of this, the pH of the liquid 17 sprayed into the room space R1 is preferably set to 8.0 to 11.0, more preferably in the range of 8.0 to 10.0, and particularly preferably in the range of 8.0 to 9.0.

[0080] Just to be clear, in this verification, the mist M1 was generated inside the glass box 60, so the relative humidity inside the glass box 60 was significantly high at 80% or more. However, this was only because the verification was performed inside the glass box 60, and it is not necessary for the overall relative humidity of the indoor space R1 to be 80% or more in order to crack the outer wall of the pollen P1 in the indoor space R1.

[0081] [Verification 2] Next, the effects of irradiating Cry j1, an allergen derived from cedar pollen, with ultraviolet light L1 and contacting it with an ozone-containing gas G2 were examined, and are described below.

[0082] (Case 1) In this verification, in Case 1, an allergen purified from cedar pollen (Cry j1: "Cedar Pollen Extract" manufactured by ITEA) was irradiated with ultraviolet light L1, and the residual rate of the allergen was evaluated.

[0083] The procedure for preparing the sample subjected to irradiation with ultraviolet light L1 is as follows. First, the allergen was added to phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at a ratio of 16 μg / mL and mixed, and then this mixture was further added to PBS at a ratio of 160 ng / mL to obtain a sample solution. Then, 1 mL of the sample solution was dropped onto a petri dish of φ35 mm to obtain a sample.

[0084] The sample was irradiated with ultraviolet light L1. In this experiment, multiple samples were prepared and the exposure dose of ultraviolet light L1 (mJ / cm 2 ) was used to evaluate the reactivity of the samples by a known ELISA method. The ELISA method is a method for evaluating the reactivity of an allergen by reacting the allergen with a specific antibody and measuring the absorbance of the reaction product. In this verification, an "ELISA kit for evaluating Cry j1 (ITEA: 10204 Cedar Pollen Allergen Cry j1 ELISA Kit)" was used as the kit for carrying out the ELISA method.

[0085] In this verification, the residual rate of Cry j1 was evaluated from the ratio of the absorbance of the sample after irradiation with ultraviolet light L1 to the absorbance of the sample before irradiation with ultraviolet light L1.

[0086] An excimer lamp filled with krypton gas and chlorine gas was used as the ultraviolet light source. In other words, ultraviolet light L1 with a peak wavelength of about 222 nm was irradiated onto the sample.

[0087] (Case 2) The experiment was carried out in the same manner as in Case 1, except that a low-pressure mercury lamp was used as the ultraviolet light source, and ultraviolet light L1 with a peak wavelength located in the vicinity of 254 nm was irradiated onto the sample.

[0088] (Case 3) Instead of the ultraviolet light L1 in Case 1, an ozone-containing gas G2 was brought into contact with the sample. More specifically, a petri dish containing the sample was placed in a glass box, and an ozone-containing gas was supplied into the glass box, thereby bringing the ozone-containing gas G2 into contact with the sample.

[0089] The ozone-containing gas G2 was generated using an ozonizer "XEFIRIA (XOR-1000P)" manufactured by Ushio Inc. The ozone concentration of the ozone-containing gas G2 was set to 10 ppm. The contact time of the ozone-containing gas G2 with the sample was varied, and the residual rate of Cry j1 was evaluated for each CT product (product of ozone concentration and contact time). The residual rate corresponds to the ratio of the absorbance of the sample after contact with the ozone-containing gas G2 to the absorbance of the sample before contact with the ozone-containing gas G2.

[0090] [Results of Verification 2] 7 and 8 are graphs showing the results of verification 2. In FIG. 7, the exposure dose (mJ / cm 2 ) of ultraviolet light L1 in case 1 and case 2 is 2 ) is shown. Figure 8 also shows the survival rate of Cry j1 versus the CT product (ppm min) of the ozone-containing gas G2 in Case 3.

[0091] As shown in Fig. 7, in both Case 1 and Case 2, where ultraviolet light L1 was irradiated, the survival rate decreased as the exposure dose increased. This shows that Cry j1 is inactivated by ultraviolet light L1. Also, according to Fig. 7, it can be seen that the effect of inactivating Cry j1 is greater in Case 1, where ultraviolet light L1 with a peak wavelength near 222 nm was irradiated, than in Case 2, where ultraviolet light L1 with a peak wavelength near 254 nm was irradiated.

[0092] Also, according to Fig. 8, the survival rate decreases as the CT product increases. In other words, it is understood that Cry j1 can be inactivated by contact with the ozone-containing gas G2.

[0093] [Verification 3] Next, an allergen purified from cedar pollen (Cry j2: "HBL-C-2" manufactured by Funakoshi Co., Ltd.) was irradiated with ultraviolet light L1, and the residual rate was evaluated.

[0094] (Case 4) The test was carried out in the same manner as in Case 1 of Test 2, except that the allergen to be tested was changed to Cry j2. The kit used to perform the ELISA method was the "ELISA kit (Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.: 49500-13)" for evaluating Cry j2.

[0095] (Case 5) The test was carried out in the same manner as in Case 2 of Test 2, except that the allergen to be tested was changed to Cry j2. The kit used to perform the ELISA method was the same as in Case 4.

[0096] [Results of Verification 3] FIG. 9 is a graph showing the results of verification 3. Referring to FIG. 9, it can be seen that Cry j2 is inactivated by irradiation with ultraviolet light L1. Also, according to FIG. 9, it can be seen that the effect of inactivating Cry j2 is greater in case 4, where ultraviolet light L1 with a peak wavelength in the vicinity of 222 nm is irradiated, than in case 5, where ultraviolet light L1 with a peak wavelength in the vicinity of 254 nm is irradiated. This is the same tendency as for Cry j1 in verification 2.

[0097] That is, according to Fig. 7 and Fig. 9, it can be understood that the ultraviolet light L1 with a peak wavelength located near 222 nm can efficiently inactivate allergens derived from cedar pollen. In view of this, it is presumed that allergens derived from cedar pollen exhibit high absorption of ultraviolet light L1 with a wavelength near 222 nm. This point is consistent with the fact that the average absorption coefficient of proteins increases significantly in the wavelength range of less than 240 nm. That is, proteins tend to absorb ultraviolet light L1 whose main emission wavelength belongs to the range of 200 nm to 300 nm, and the same is thought to be true for allergens. In view of this, from the viewpoint of efficiently inactivating allergens derived from cedar pollen, it is preferable that the ultraviolet light L1 irradiated to the indoor space R1 has a main emission wavelength belonging to the range of 200 nm to 230 nm.

[0098] [Verification summary] In view of the verification 1, it can be understood that the outer wall of the pollen P1 is cracked by contacting the weakly alkaline liquid 17 with the cedar-derived pollen P1. This is expected to increase the surface area of ​​the pollen P1 or expose the allergens. And, according to the verifications 2 and 3, it can be seen that the allergens derived from cedar pollen can be inactivated by irradiation with ultraviolet light L1 or contact with ozone-containing gas G2. That is, the allergens derived from cedar pollen can be efficiently inactivated by spraying the liquid 17 in the indoor space R1 and irradiating with ultraviolet light L1 or supplying ozone-containing gas G2.

[0099] In addition, in verification 3, the contact of ozone-containing gas with Cry j2 was not considered. However, in light of the results of verification 2, it is presumed that ozone-containing gas inactivates Cry j2, similar to Cry j1.

[0100] In this test, cedar pollen P1 and cedar pollen-derived allergens were used as the test subjects. However, considering that the outer wall of cypress, rice, etc. pollen P1 is composed of cellulose and pectin, just like cedar pollen, and that the allergens are proteins, it is presumed that not only cedar pollen-derived allergens but also allergens derived from other pollens can be effectively inactivated.

[0101] In other words, verifications 1 to 3 demonstrated that the inactivation system 1 according to the first embodiment can efficiently inactivate pollen-derived allergens.

[0102] It is also presumed that the ultraviolet light L1 and the ozone-containing gas G2 modify the structure of the allergen through an oxidation reaction. In view of this, any method that modifies the structure of the allergen can be expected to have the effect of inactivating the allergen, similar to the ultraviolet light L1 or the ozone-containing gas G2. For example, instead of the ozone-containing gas G2, a gas containing positive ions or negative ions (hereinafter referred to as "ion-containing gas") may be brought into contact with the allergen. This configuration will be described later.

[0103] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the inactivation system 1 will be described, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0104] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an inactivation system 1 according to a second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 10, the inactivation system 1 includes a sprayer 10, an ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 as an inactivation unit, and a control unit 30. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the control unit 30 is included. According to this embodiment, a user can easily inactivate allergens derived from pollen P1 in an indoor space R1 by transmitting a control signal d3, which will be described later, to the control unit 30.

[0105] In particular, according to this embodiment, even if the user is outside the indoor space R1, the deactivation system 1 can be operated by remotely transmitting the control signal d3.

[0106] Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the inactivation system 1. Note that components of the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 are omitted in Fig. 11.

[0107] As shown in Fig. 11, the control unit 30 has a transmission unit 31, a reception unit 32, and a storage unit 33. The transmission unit 31 is configured to be able to transmit control signals (d1, d2) to the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20. The reception unit 32 is configured to be able to receive a control signal d3 transmitted from a user's operation terminal (not shown). As an example, the control signal (d1, d2) is a wireless signal using infrared rays. As an example, the control signal d3 is a wireless signal based on standards such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0108] The driver 16 of the sprayer 10 is configured to be able to receive a control signal d1 from the control unit 30, and controls the driving of the sprayer 10 based on the control signal d1.

[0109] The driver 23 of the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 is configured to be able to receive a control signal d2 from the control unit 30, and drives the lighting circuit 22 based on the control signal d2 to control the lighting of the excimer lamp 21 (see also FIG. 2).

[0110] The control signal d3 may be transmitted from an operation terminal held by a user in the same building, which is a space different from the indoor space R1, or may be transmitted from an operation terminal held by a user outside the building. An example of the operation terminal is a smartphone.

[0111] The storage unit 33 is composed of a memory, etc. Information indicating the operation schedules of the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 is stored in advance in the storage unit 33. When the receiver 32 of the control unit 30 receives a control signal d3, the controller 30 transmits control signals (d1, d2) from the transmitter 31 based on the predetermined operation schedule stored in the storage unit 33.

[0112] Fig. 12 shows an example of an operation schedule for the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20. In the example of Fig. 12, the control unit 30 transmits a control signal d1 to the sprayer 10, and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 is driven a predetermined time after the sprayer 10 is driven. However, the driving of the sprayer 10 and the driving of the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 may be started simultaneously. In other words, the control unit 30 may transmit the control signal d1 and the control signal d2 simultaneously.

[0113] In addition, the driving time T1 of the sprayer 10 is arbitrary, but from the viewpoint of cracking the outer wall of more pollen P1 in the indoor space R1, it is preferably 1 hour or more, more preferably 3 hours or more. After the mist M1 is sprayed, there is a lot of pollen with an increased surface area and exposed allergens in the indoor space R1. For this reason, it is preferable that the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 is driven for a predetermined time after the sprayer 10 is stopped. In other words, the time T2 from the stop of the sprayer 10 to the stop of the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 is preferably 30 minutes or more, more preferably 1 hour or more.

[0114] In this embodiment, the control unit 30 has been described as being configured independently of the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20, but the control unit 30 may be housed, for example, in the housing 24 of the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20. Similarly, the control unit 30 may be housed in the housing of the sprayer 10.

[0115] In the above description, the memory unit 33 of the control unit 30 is described as storing information including an operation schedule, but the control signal d3 may include information related to the operation schedule. After the inactivation system 1 is operated by the control signal d3, the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 may be stopped based on a stop signal transmitted from the user. In other words, the memory unit 33 may have any configuration.

[0116] In this embodiment, an ozonizer 40 may be provided as an inactivation unit in place of the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20, and the control unit 30 may control the sprayer 10 and the ozonizer 40.

[0117] [Third embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the inactivation system 1 will be described, focusing on differences from the first embodiment. Fig. 13A is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the inactivation system 1 according to the third embodiment. Fig. 13A shows an example in which the inactivation system 1 is incorporated in an air purifier 50 operated in an indoor space R1.

[0118] 13A, the air purifier 50 has a housing 51, an intake port 52 for drawing in an atmospheric gas G1 from an indoor space R1 into the housing 51, a purification unit 53 for purifying the drawn in atmospheric gas G1, and an exhaust port 54 for exhausting a treated gas G3 purified by the purification unit 53 to the indoor space R1. The air purifier 50 also has a pipe 55a for connecting the intake port 52 to a space R2 in which the purification unit 53 is disposed, and a pipe 55b for connecting the space R2 to the exhaust port 54. That is, the space R2 is connected to the indoor space R1. In this embodiment, the space R2 corresponds to the "gas flow space."

[0119] The air purifier 50 purifies the atmospheric gas G1 in the purification unit 53, and then sends it to the indoor space R1 as a treated gas G3. The purification unit 53 is, for example, a filter that collects pollen P1, dust, dirt, etc., and purifies the atmospheric gas G1. Since the particle size of the pollen P1 is about 30 μm, the pollen P1 can be collected by setting the mesh size of the filter to, for example, about several μm. The purification unit 53 can be configured in a conventional manner.

[0120] That is, a large amount of pollen P1 collected by the purification unit 53 exists in the space R2 in which the purification unit 53 is disposed. However, the filter constituting the purification unit 53 does not have the function of inactivating allergens contained in the pollen P1. For this reason, it is assumed that allergens will diffuse from the pollen P1 and return to the indoor space R1 via the exhaust port 54. This is a major concern, especially since the particle size of the allergens is smaller than that of the pollen P1.

[0121] In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 13A, a sprayer 10 and an ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 are incorporated into the space R2 as the inactivation system 1. The sprayer 10 sprays a weak alkaline liquid (not shown in Fig. 13A) into the space R2 as mist M1. The ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 then irradiates the space R2 with ultraviolet light L1. This makes it possible to efficiently inactivate allergens derived from pollen P1 in the space R2.

[0122] The procedure by which the sprayer 10 generates the mist M1 and the procedure by which the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 generates the ultraviolet light L1 can be discussed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0123] Even if the purification unit 53 does not have a filter for collecting pollen P1, the pollen P1 flows through the space R2 together with the atmospheric gas G1. Therefore, by supplying the mist M1 and the ultraviolet light L1 to the space R2, the allergens derived from the pollen P1 in the indoor space R1 can be inactivated. In other words, it is optional whether or not the purification unit 53 has a filter for collecting pollen P1.

[0124] In FIG. 13A, the mist M1 and the ultraviolet light L1 are supplied to the space R2 in which the purification unit 53 is arranged. However, the inactivation system 1 may be incorporated in the pipes (55a, 55b). In this case, the space in the pipes (55a, 55b) corresponds to the "gas flow space". More specifically, the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 may be arranged in both the pipes 55a and 55b, or in either one of them. Also, the sprayer 10 may be arranged in the pipe 55a located at the front stage in the flow direction of the atmospheric gas G1, and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 may be arranged in the pipe 55b located at the rear stage.

[0125] In FIG. 13A, the inactivation system 1 is incorporated in an air purifier 50 placed in the indoor space R1, but the inactivation system 1 is not limited to the air purifier 50 and may be incorporated in an air conditioner or other air conditioning device.

[0126] The inactivation system 1 may also be incorporated into piping that connects the indoor space R1 to another space. Fig. 13B is a diagram showing another configuration example of the inactivation system 1. Fig. 13B shows an example in which the indoor space R1 is connected to the outside space R3 via a ventilation opening 56 and piping 57.

[0127] As shown in Fig. 13B, when the indoor space R1 is connected to the outdoor space R3, it is assumed that pollen P1 will enter the indoor space R1 together with the outdoor air from the outdoor space R3. In contrast, as shown in Fig. 13B, by incorporating the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 in the piping 57, the allergens contained in the pollen P1 flowing through the piping 57 can be efficiently inactivated. That is, in the example of Fig. 13B, the space in the piping 57 corresponds to the "gas flow space". In addition, a filter that collects the pollen P1 may be disposed in the piping 57, and the mist M1 and the ultraviolet light L1 may be supplied toward the filter.

[0128] In the above, with reference to FIG. 13B, it has been described that the indoor space R1 and the outside space R3 are connected. However, when the indoor space R1 is connected to another indoor space different from the indoor space R1, the inactivation system 1 may be incorporated in the internal space such as a pipe connecting the two spaces. In this case, allergens contained in pollen P1 flowing from the other indoor space to the indoor space R1 or from the indoor space R1 to the other indoor space can be efficiently inactivated.

[0129] In addition, in FIG. 13A, the space R2 is irradiated with ultraviolet light L1 to inactivate the allergen derived from the pollen P1, but as described with reference to FIG. 3, the ozone-containing gas G2 may be generated in the space R2. For example, an excimer lamp 41 may be disposed as an ozonizer in the space R2, and the space R2 may be irradiated with ultraviolet light L2 having a peak wavelength of, for example, about 172 nm, to generate the ozone-containing gas G2 in the space R2, and the ozone-containing gas G2 may be brought into contact with the allergen. In addition, a pair of electrodes may be disposed in the space R2, and the ozone-containing gas G2 may be generated by a silent discharge method. The same discussion is possible for the case of FIG. 13B.

[0130] As will be described later, for example, an ion generator may be disposed in the space R2 to generate an ion-containing gas in the space R2.

[0131] In the third embodiment, as described in the second embodiment section, a control unit 30 may be configured to control the operation of the sprayer 10 and the above-mentioned inactivation unit, and the sprayer 10 and the inactivation unit such as the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 may be driven by a control signal.

[0132] [Another embodiment] <1> In the above, it has been described that the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 is disposed vertically above the indoor space R1, and the sprayer 10 is disposed vertically below (see FIG. 1, etc.). However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. From the viewpoint of efficiently inactivating allergens derived from pollen P1 whose outer wall has cracked due to contact with the mist M1, it is preferable that the ultraviolet light L1 is irradiated near the opening 14 from which the mist M1 is sprayed. In other words, it is preferable that the mist M1 is supplied from the opening 14 in the area in the indoor space R1 where the ultraviolet light L1 is irradiated from the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20, or in the vicinity of the area.

[0133] Here, the region irradiated with the ultraviolet light L1 may mean a spatial region within a range of 1 / 2 illuminance angle or less of the ultraviolet light L1 emitted from the light extraction surface 25 of the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20. Note that the "1 / 2 illuminance angle" refers to the angle between the optical axis and a virtual line connecting the center of the light extraction surface 25 and a point where the illuminance is 1 / 2 of the illuminance on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (normal line) passing through the center of the light extraction surface 25. Note that the 1 / 2 illuminance angle can be measured using any measuring device.

[0134] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of efficiently cracking the outer wall of the pollen P1 in the region, for example, it is preferable that the relative humidity measured in the region is 50% or more, more preferably 60% or more, and particularly preferably 70% or more.

[0135] <2> In the above description, the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 are configured as separate devices. However, these may be integrated into an allergen deactivation device.

[0136] Fig. 14 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration example of an allergen inactivation device (hereinafter simply referred to as "inactivation device"). As shown in Fig. 14, inactivation device 2a includes an atomizer 11, a storage section 12, and a pipe 15 as a configuration for generating mist M1. In addition, inactivation device 2a includes an excimer lamp 21 and a lighting circuit 22 as an inactivation unit for generating ultraviolet light L1.

[0137] The inactivation device 2a also includes a housing 18. The housing 18 houses the atomizer 11, the pipes 15, the excimer lamp 21, and the lighting circuit 22. The housing 18 also has an opening 14 at a portion of its side surface through which the mist M1 is sprayed, and a light extraction surface 25 through which the ultraviolet light L1 is extracted. The opening 14 corresponds to the "first opening," and the light extraction surface 25 corresponds to the "extraction portion."

[0138] The storage unit 12 stores the liquid 17, and is connected to the pipe 15 so as to be able to flow the liquid 17 toward the atomizer 11. The storage unit 12 and the pipe 15 are detachable. The storage unit 12 is detachable, so that the liquid 17 can be easily replenished into the storage unit 12. The storage unit 12 may be housed in a housing 18, and the liquid 17 may be replenished into the storage unit 12 through an arbitrary inlet.

[0139] The atomizer 11 turns the liquid 17 sent from the storage unit 12 into mist to generate the mist M1. A conventionally known configuration can be adopted for the atomizer 11. As an example, the atomizer 11 may have an ultrasonic vibrator and an oscillator (not shown) and generate the mist M1 by oscillating ultrasonic waves to the liquid 17. The mist M1 is sprayed out of the housing 18 from the opening 14.

[0140] According to the inactivation device 2a shown in FIG. 14, allergens can be easily inactivated in any indoor space R1 simply by moving the device.

[0141] 14, the direction in which the inactivation device 2a sprays the mist M1 is preferably substantially the same as the direction in which the inactivation device 2a emits the ultraviolet light L1. More specifically, the opening 14 and the light extraction surface 25 are preferably disposed on a common side surface of the housing 18.

[0142] By making the direction in which the mist M1 is sprayed and the direction in which the ultraviolet light L1 is emitted approximately the same, the ultraviolet light L1 can be easily irradiated to the area where the mist M1 is supplied and where the humidity is likely to be relatively higher than the surrounding environment. As a result, allergens derived from pollen P1 whose outer wall has been cracked by contact with the mist M1 can be efficiently inactivated by the ultraviolet light L1.

[0143] Incidentally, the sprayer 10 and the ozonizer 40 may be integrated into one device as shown in Fig. 15. Fig. 15 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of another example of the configuration of the inactivation device.

[0144] The procedure by which the inactivation device 2b shown in Fig. 15 generates the mist M1 is similar to that described with reference to Fig. 14. Also, the procedure by which the inactivation device 2b generates the ozone-containing gas G2 is similar to that described with reference to Fig. 3. Here, the opening 14 that blows out the mist M1 corresponds to the "first opening", and the opening 46 that blows out the ozone-containing gas G2 corresponds to the "take-out part" and the "second opening".

[0145] As shown in Fig. 15, the direction in which the inactivation device 2b blows out the mist M1 may be substantially the same as the direction in which the inactivation device 2b blows out the ozone-containing gas G2. In this regard, the same discussion as that described with reference to Fig. 14 is possible by replacing the ultraviolet light L1 with the ozone-containing gas G2.

[0146] Moreover, Fig. 16 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of yet another example of the configuration of the inactivation device 2b. Fig. 15 shows an example in which the opening 14 for blowing out the mist M1 and the opening 46 for blowing out the ozone-containing gas G2 are provided at different positions in the housing 18. However, as shown in Fig. 16, the opening 14 may also serve as the opening for blowing out the ozone-containing gas G2. This allows the mist M1 to be included in the airflow of the ozone-containing gas G2. Moreover, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the inactivation device 2b.

[0147] <3> In the above second embodiment, the control signal d3 is described as being transmitted to the receiving unit 32 of the control unit 30. However, it is optional whether or not the control signal d3 is transmitted to the receiving unit 32. For example, the control unit 30 may have a physical switch disposed in the indoor space R1, and the control unit 30 may transmit the control signals (d1, d2) to the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 when the user operates the physical switch.

[0148] The memory unit 33 may store information about time periods when no human presence is expected in the indoor space R1 (for convenience, referred to as "absent time information"), and the control unit 30 may drive the sprayer 10 and the ultraviolet light irradiation device 20 based on the absent time information. Examples of absent time periods include late night hours when the indoor space R1 is a room other than a bedroom in a residence, and hours outside of business hours at a workplace.

[0149] <4> In the above description, the allergens are inactivated by supplying ultraviolet light L1 or ozone-containing gas G2 to the indoor space R1. However, the allergens may be inactivated by supplying a gas containing positive ions or negative ions (ion-containing gas G4) to the indoor space R1.

[0150] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of an inactivation apparatus following FIG. 15. An inactivation apparatus 2c shown in FIG. 17 differs from the inactivation apparatus 2b of FIG. 15 in that it has a pair of electrodes (50, 51) instead of the excimer lamp 41. The pair of electrodes (50, 51) corresponds to an "ion generator." An AC voltage is applied between the pair of electrodes (50, 51) to generate a discharge between the electrodes, which mainly converts water molecules in the atmospheric gas G1 into HO. + , O2 - etc. ions are generated.

[0151] The inactivation device 2c supplies the ion-containing gas G4 containing the ions to the indoor space R1 by a blowing mechanism (not shown). + , O2 - These ions generate hydrogen peroxide H2O2 or hydroxyl radicals (·OH) locally in the indoor space R1, and these react with allergens to inactivate them.

[0152] Here, the discharge between the pair of electrodes (50, 51) may cause a reaction in which bonds between nitrogen molecules contained in the atmospheric gas G1 are broken, generating NOx, which may have adverse effects on the human body. Therefore, in the inactivation device 2c, a filter that removes NOx from the ion-containing gas G4 depending on the amount of discharge between the electrodes (50, 51) may be disposed in the opening 46.

[0153] In the configuration described with reference to Figures 3, 13A, and 13B, etc., a pair of electrodes (50, 51) may be used as the inactivation unit, and an ion-containing gas G4 may be generated by discharging between the electrodes to inactivate allergens derived from pollen P1.

[0154] In addition, the configurations of the ozonizer 40 in FIG. 3 and the inactivation device 2b in FIG. 15 and the like are preferable because no discharge is generated in the atmospheric gas G1 and the generation of NOx and the like is suppressed.

[0155] <5> The configurations according to the above embodiments can be realized in appropriate combinations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0156] 1: Allergen inactivation system 2a, 2b, 2c: Allergen deactivation device 10 : Sprayer 11 : Atomizer 12: Storage section 14: Opening 15: Piping 16: Driver 17: liquid 18: Case 20: Ultraviolet light irradiation device 21: Excimer lamp 22: Lighting circuit 23: Driver 24: Case 25: Light extraction surface 30: Control section 31: Transmission unit 32: Receiving section 33 : Storage section 40: Ozonizer 41: Excimer lamp 42: Lighting circuit 43: Driver 44: Piping 45: Case 46: Opening 47: Inlet 50: Air purifier 51: Case 52: Air intake 53: Purification unit 54: Exhaust port 55a, 55b: Piping 56: Ventilation vent 57: Piping 60: Glass Box 61: Slide glass 62 : Humidifier G1: Atmospheric gas G2: Ozone-containing gas G3: Processed gas G4: Ion-containing gas L1,L2: Ultraviolet light M1: Mist P1: Pollen R1: Interior space R2 : Space R3: Outside space

Claims

1. A step (a) of spraying a weakly alkaline liquid in an indoor space where pollen is present or in a gas flow space connected to the indoor space, bringing the liquid into contact with the pollen, and cracking the outer wall of the pollen; and a step (b) of supplying at least one gas selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet light, an ozone-containing gas, and an ion-containing gas to the indoor space or the gas flow space during or after the step (a) to inactivate the pollen-derived allergens.

2. The allergen inactivation method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step (b) includes a step of irradiating the indoor space or the gas flow space with ultraviolet light having a main emission wavelength in the range of 200 nm to 230 nm.

3. 2. The allergen inactivation method according to claim 1, wherein the step (b) includes a step of supplying the ozone-containing gas flow containing a mist derived from the liquid to the indoor space or the gas flow space.

4. The allergen inactivation method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the liquid is a sodium bicarbonate solution.

5. The allergen inactivation method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the steps (a) and (b) are carried out in the indoor space and during times when no people are present.

6. The method for inactivating an allergen according to claim 5, wherein the step (a) is carried out for 3 hours or more.

7. The steps (a) and (b) are performed in the gas flow space; and 4. The allergen inactivation method according to claim 1, wherein a filter that prevents pollen from passing through is disposed in the gas flow space.

8. A sprayer that sprays a weak alkaline liquid into the indoor space or a gas flow space connected to the indoor space; an inactivation unit that is disposed in the indoor space or the gas flow space and inactivates pollen-derived allergens present in the indoor space or the gas flow space; The sprayer and a control unit that controls the operation of the inactivation unit, The inactivation unit is at least one selected from the group consisting of an ultraviolet light source that emits ultraviolet light, an ozonizer that generates an ozone-containing gas, and an ion generator that generates an ion-containing gas.

9. The allergen deactivation system described in claim 8, characterized in that when the control unit receives a start signal transmitted from outside the area in which the sprayer and the deactivation unit are located, it executes control to operate the sprayer and the deactivation unit for a predetermined time or until it receives a stop signal.

10. The allergen deactivation system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the sprayer and the deactivation unit are housed in the same housing.

11. a storage section for storing a weakly alkaline liquid; an atomizer that atomizes the liquid supplied from the storage section; A first opening for spraying the liquid in a mist form generated by the atomizer outward; An inactivation unit for inactivating pollen-derived allergens, the inactivation unit being composed of at least one selected from the group consisting of an ultraviolet light source that emits ultraviolet light, an ozonizer that emits an ozone-containing gas, and an ion generator that generates an ion-containing gas; an extraction unit that extracts, to the outside, the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source, the ozone-containing gas generated by the ozonizer, or the ion-containing gas generated by the ion generator; A housing that houses the inactivation unit together with the atomizer, An allergen deactivation device, characterized in that the first opening and the removal section are both formed as part of a side surface of the housing.

12. The inactivation unit is composed of the ozonizer or the ion generator, the outlet is a second opening for blowing the ozone-containing gas or the ion-containing gas outward, The allergen deactivation device according to claim 11 , wherein the first opening also serves as the second opening.

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