Open-Cell Foam Pathogen Capture and Disinfection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for detecting and remediating biological contaminants in water and air are inadequate, as they fail to account for transient pathogens and biofilms, provide limited sample sizes, and do not consider exposure over time, leading to incomplete and unreliable detection of health risks.
Innovation Solution
The use of an open-cell foam structure impregnated with disinfectants or biocides to remediate, detect, and kill pathogens by maximizing surface area contact and exposure time, allowing for large-volume sampling and detection of pathogens over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional grab sampling is used, then sampling is simple and quick, but detection precision and reliability are insufficient due to limited sample size and transient pathogen detection failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs open-cell foam as a porous sampling medium that can be exposed to large volumes of water or air over extended periods. The porous structure allows pathogens to be trapped within the foam matrix while maintaining structural integrity, enabling cumulative exposure sampling that overcomes the limitations of traditional grab sampling and improves detection precision for transient pathogens.
2Reliability
If large volume sampling over time is implemented, then pathogen detection reliability improves, but sampling device complexity and exposure time requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the foam material's hydrophobicity and oleophilicity to enhance pathogen capture efficiency. By selecting foam with specific surface properties that are hydrophobic yet oleophilic, the system maximizes pathogen adsorption from water or air during the exposure period, thereby improving detection reliability without requiring excessively long exposure times.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If disinfectants are applied to kill pathogens, then pathogen remediation is achieved, but disinfectant deactivation occurs when contacted with certain materials
Solution Approach 1:
The open-cell foam acts as an intermediary medium that concentrates pathogens from large volumes of water or air into a small, contained matrix. This concentration step separates the sampling function from the disinfection function, allowing disinfectant to be applied directly to the foam where pathogens are concentrated, thereby maintaining disinfectant effectiveness and avoiding deactivation issues that would occur in bulk water treatment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The open-cell foam effectively identifies and removes pathogens, including Legionella, at low concentrations, providing accurate and cost-efficient monitoring and remediation of biological contaminants in water and air, while avoiding disinfectant deactivation issues.
Implementation Method 1
The open-cell foam structure maximizes surface area contact and exposure time, allowing for large-volume sampling and detection of pathogens over time
Implementation Method 2
The oleophilic nature of the constituent polymer(s) prevents the absorption of water and promotes absorption and adsorption of oils and other organic substances such as pathogens and viruses
Implementation Method 3
The foam that is used in the open-cell foam structures can be impregnated with one or more biocides and/or disinfectants, or another chemical or substance that can kill or neutralize pathogens
Data Source
AI summary
An open-cell foam structure that is impregnated with a disinfectant and used to remove pathogens from air, water, and surfaces, and kill the pathogens.