56620Disruptive innovation in disinfection of Community Spaces, Health-Care and Food SecurityClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKDuring the current Covid-19 pandemic there has naturally been a significant increase in the use of disinfectant products for surface decontamination, culminating in significant associated costs whenever attempting to cover large surfaces and with frequent repeated applications. Recognising too that coronaviruses, including Covid-19, can remain infectious for days or even longer in sewage and drinking water, needs can be seen in tackling both water treatment and complementary disinfection problems. While it can be argued that dilute bleach or soapy-water are all that is needed, particularly in a domestic situation, for treating contaminated surfaces, there are situations in which these agents are inappropriate, notably in washing fresh produce, including fruit, vegetables and fresh meat. Moreover, concerns can be encountered in handling bleach even in dilute solutions, requiring in the process of using them, the need to wipe following application to remove bleach residues. While alcohol-based sprays and wipes have a role in disinfection, they too are not appropriate to all situations. A water-based alternative, or complement, to even bleach and soap-based chemical agents, would be a welcome addition to the armoury of solutions for combating virus, and other pathogen-based infections. Just such an approach is provided by a category of nanobubbles that contain activated oxygen as the agency for killing bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, and result in residue free water and the release of oxygen! The nanobubbles concerned are very small bubbles of gas, typically well below a thousandth of a millimetre in diameter (the thickness of a thick human hair is about a tenth of a millimetre), allowing large numbers to be accommodated in a small volume of water. Ozone is currently attracting attention as an effective alternative antiseptic, characterised by its strong antimicrobial action upon bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. Ozonated water has been used for such purposes, but the dissolved gas quickly dissociating into oxygen and reducing potency to no more than 5 to 10 minutes. Water containing ozone-nanobubbles on the other hand, dramatically changes the potency to periods extending to days and even months. The aim of the project is to produce a versatile system demonstrator that can be directed at a range of applications by simply changing the formulation and delivery mode of the activated nanobubble-water, initially directed at domestic uses for surface disinfecting and washing of fresh produce, and following on with wider health-care applications in the fight to combat the Covid-19 virus.