The main technology in the BioZone air purification system is called “PhotoPlasma”. The UV-Plasma lamp in operation will energize the atmospheric air passing through the BioZone unit into Plasma state. Plasma generated this way is called Cold Oxygen Plasma (COP) or PhotoPlasma.

The PhotoPlasma (of atmospheric air) will last some 20 minutes before reverting back to normal atmospheric air. In this span of time, when PhotoPlasma come into contact with impurities, be it airborne or surface-borne, it will shed the excess energy to the impurities which is capable of tearing them apart chemically. As the energy is just sufficient to break the carbon-carbon bond of simple organic matters, BioZone is very effective in neutralizing most indoor impurities and biological contaminants (mould, bacteria, fungi and viruses), which are organic in nature.

Plasma is known as the fourth state of matters after solid, liquid and gas. So, when we impart sufficient energy to a solid, it will change to liquid state. Likewise, from liquid to gas. If we impart sufficiently high energy to gas, the gaseous molecules will be in a dissociated state with delocalised electrons, ions and radicals. This state of matter is called Plasma.

In nature, Plasma (of the atmospheric air) does exist. It happens during lightning when the energy is acquired from the discharge of electrons from clouds to ground. It also happens at the time of strong sunshine where the energy is acquired from photon energy of the sunlight.

BioZone equipment have been tested against a wide variety of viruses and bacteria, including MERS, SARS, H1N1 and COVID19. A detailed bacteria kill list can be provided on request.

PhotoPlasma eliminates virus / bacteria by imparting energy to these micro-organisms. In principle, PhotoPlasma works on all virus and bacteria, the effective kill rate being dependent on the energy required for the destruction of the virus species.

The current COVID-19 virus (scientific term: SARS-CoV-2) is one strain of the Coronavirus family. BioZone has proven effective in eliminating various strains of the Coronavirus including MERS (MERS-CoV), SARS (SARS-CoV-1) and COVID19 (SARS-CoV-2). BioZone has been tested effective against and officially certified by the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research).

From an article in the Journal of Clinical Virology, an experiment was conducted using BioZone’s PhotoPlasma technology and demonstrated a 99.98% reduction rate of RSV under in-vitro condition. It was said that "BioZone Cold Oxygen Plasma is a valuable tool in handling epidemic".

Furthermore, news channels have also featured the use of BioZone technology in Amoy Gardens housing estate, which was the center of the 2003 SARS outbreak in Hong Kong. The review reflects upon the technology’s effectiveness in fighting against SARS and their continued use for preparedness against COVID-19.

The latest test report done in April 2021 had proven BioZone being effective against COVID19 (SAR-CoV-2).

The range of BioZone products, standard or customised, are available for domestic to commercial and industrial use. BioZone equipment has been installed in several public places, including many malls across Singapore. BioZone air purification solutions were also implemented in offices, food production lines, hotels, hospitals, clinics, schools, restaurants and more. BioZone solutions were also installed specifically for Air Handling Units which are commonly used in Central Air-conditioning System.

Sufficient dose of UV energy has to be imparted on a contaminated surface for destroying virus/bacteria staying on it. Effectiveness of UV is largely dependent on the intensity of the UV source, the distance from the source, and the contact time – the time interval that virus is under effective UV exposure. As UV intensity diminishes quickly with distance, UV germicidal lamp needs to be close to the objects or surfaces to be treated.

BioZone Photoplasma work in active application where oxygen (in Plasma state) mingles with the room air. As such, disinfection occurs at any corner of the room reachable by air. As PhotoPlasma is part of the room air which is in continuous contact with contaminated surfaces, the virus and bacteria both airborne and on surfaces can be effectively eliminated because of the long contact time. That is also the reason why BioZone is so effective on surface contaminations, and possibly is the only air purifier that is capable of eliminating surface impurities.

The speed of disinfection using PhotoPlasma is very fast. The rate of disinfection and the equipment’s effectiveness can be further speed up by increasing the strength of the PhotoPlasma employed.

All Photo and UV type equipment will produce Ozone in operation. BioZone is no exception. But there are features in the design of the equipment incorporated to ensure that the ozone emission if any is only limited to traces and well within the recommended safety limits of 50 parts per billion.

Ozonators have been used for disinfection in some known infection areas. However, it requires a very high concentration, a level that exceed the safety threshold, for achieving an effective kill rate. Therefore, it is not recommended to use ozonator when humans are present. BioZone’s PhotoPlasma technology is safe for daily use in work and play spaces, with a faster and higher disinfection rate.

As PhotoPlasma present in room air is in continuous contact with the contaminated surface if any, the virus and bacteria on such surfaces can be effectively eliminated because of the long contact time.

In the CNRS experiment mentioned above, high concentration of viral suspension was aerosolized to an average size of about 1.9 micron (similar to those produced by human being) and moving at an air speed of about 0.9m/s. The effective kill rate so determined using BioZone Cold Oxygen Plasma was >99% for all three class of viruses – RSV, hPIV-3 and H5N2 – being tested.

Hopefully, even if virus accidentally escapes from people wearing masks, PhotoPlasma can help to reduce such virus to a level below immune system threshold of human before it finds a recipient.