A unique handheld sprayer has been launched which turns mildly salty tap water into a powerful disinfectant that kills 99.9% of germs, bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19.
The easy-HC10 uses an electrochemical reaction to instantly convert tap water containing just 0.25% salt into hypochlorous acid, a powerful disinfectant which the human body itself produces to fight infection.
It’s thought the British-designed and manufactured device could be adopted by cleaning companies and operators eager to reduce the need to buy and store traditional disinfectant.
The easy-HC10 has been designed by Vapourtec, a leading manufacturer of flow chemistry equipment used throughout research and the chemicals industry. It’s a handheld sprayer powered by a rechargeable lithium battery and features a 2L reservoir which is filled with tap water and just 5g of salt.
Duncan Guthrie, Managing Director and founder of Vapourtec, said: “Hypochlorous acid is a powerful disinfectant which our bodies already use to kill germs. The easy-HC10 instantly produces it from nothing more than tap water and salt, eradicating the need for costly disinfectant.”
Hypochlorous acid is a disinfectant which occurs naturally in the bloodstream of all mammals. Highly effective at killing bacteria, fungi and viruses, and neutralising odours, it is also one of the only disinfectant agents which is non-toxic to humans. It’s used commercially as a powerful disinfectant but has a relatively short shelf life when stored.
Pulling the trigger produces an instant spray of hypochlorous acid solution, the concentration of which can be controlled depending on the intensity of disinfection needed, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. The spray rapidly kills germs and viruses, yet is safe to use on solid and fabric surfaces and around people and pets.
The battery has a 90-minute run time and each 2L of water produces around 25 minutes of continuous spraying, making the device ideal for disinfecting larger areas like offices, schools, health settings and public transport. However, it’s the cost saving and convenience which the creators believe will appeal most to potential users.
Duncan added: “The easy-HC10 means there is no need to buy, store and carry around traditional disinfectant or bleach. It can cost up to 96% less to use than NHS-grade disinfectants.”
With commercial disinfectant costing between £0.75 and £4 per litre, the easy-HC10 requires just a few pence worth of tap water and 5g of salt each time it’s refilled. The device weighs just 3kg when empty and features a shoulder strap for carrying and operation. It dispenses the fine disinfectant spray at a rate of around 5L per hour for commercial and professional use.
Duncan concluded: “The device has some sound environmental benefits too as the disinfectant leaves no harmful residue and it eradicates the need for single-use plastic disinfectant bottles.”
