Your Ducts Could be Causing Serious Illness

By: Joseph Littles

Viewable mold in the home can cause serious disabilities. Deep within the duct work, mold spores are multiplying and spreading throughout the home. Humidity can cause this problem to increase. It can cause the growth of the spores of mold or mildew. Spores are similar to tiny dust particals that float through the house. A home that is severely contaminated can have thousands of mold spores per cubic foot. The effect of mold can be very dangerous to the health of those living in the home.

It is very important that humidity levels remain low in a home as this prevents the growth of bacteria and molds in ac duct work. Mold spores usually hid in the air conditioning ducts as they mix in the dust and dirt that lies in unclean ac vents. Air conditioning vents often produce and harbor many pollutants such as mold and bacteria. Serious health problems can result from mold within the ac ducts. Here is a list of six common sicknesses that can result from mold in the ac ducts.

Mold reproduction can take place in ac ducts as humidity levels fluctuate between high and low humidity. The reproduction and multiplication of mold causes sickness as the blowers blow the mold spores throughout the entire home.

Headaches can be caused by mold in the ac ducts as toxins spread throughout the home. Mold spores that are carried in the air can cause unexplained headaches.

Mold in ac ducts can cause allergy symptoms such as watery eyes and a runny nose. Allergies can be triggered by pollen spores which release various levels of toxins in the air.

Mold in ac ducts can also be the culprit behind dermatitis and other skin disorders. Molds that are multiplying in the ac ducts are traveling through the air and can be irritants to the skin. Skin problems can include itching, rashes, and even in rare cases molds and funguses grow on the skin.

Mold in ac ducts can also cause reoccurring colds with lower ability to resist infections. If you are constantly getting colds and or experiencing throat infections or sinus infections it may be connected to mold in the ac ducts.

Mold in the ac ducts may cause fatigue. Fatigue is a decrease in normal energy levels. Molds can cause an inability to focus on tasks as a result of sleepiness.

AC duct cleaning is the most beneficial way to remove the dust, dirt and other debris that the mold spores reproduce in. The effects of mold spores can create many sicknesses as they blow through the ac ducts and spread through the home. If you experience any of these sicknesses or other unexplained illnesses you may need an ac ducts cleaning. Clean AC ducts are a key to maximum health in the home. AC duct cleaning can be done professionally on a schedule so that they are kept clean.

Author Resource:-> Go to Steamatic Triangle Services for more information on Raleigh mold removal and Raleigh duct cleaning and sign up for their newsletter for more Tips and insights.

Article From Article Down

Ozone Kills H1N1 and Much More…

Hamilton, ON-November 6/09: As the entire community feels the affects of the H1N1 virus and authorities scramble for answers we can take some comfort in learning there is a super killer of the super bugs.

Recently the application of ozone has been proven effective to inactivate the H1N1 Swine flu virus as reported in the June 08 “Journal of Virological Methods” 153-74-77. Additionally ozone has been tested in the past and found to successfully eliminate over 99.99% of other harmful bacteria and viruses including; MRSA, E. Coli, Salmonella and Strep. Ozone is also applied in gaseous form allowing it to contact many more surfaces than traditional cleaning methods and cleans all surfaces in any facility, not just those that are exposed like chemical spray cleaners.

Swine flu has emerged as an extremely infectious virus causing school closings and hurting businesses already feeling the impact of the economy. Conventional cleaning techniques lack the ability to disinfect all surfaces where swine flu lives and there is no conventional way to kill airborne swine flu, especially in the duct systems. Enviropure Applied Technology Solutions (ATS) are able to apply our treatment to any indoor environment and treat the entirety of the room as well as its contents including soft furnishings and especially important the air and air handling system.

The H1N1 virus has made its way into schools, businesses, sports teams and pretty much any public indoor environment. An Enviropure ATS treatment can help slow the spread of the virus and eliminate virtually any contaminant present.

When the treatment process is over and after a brief deactivation period (ozone reverts back to oxygen), usually less than 30 minutes all that remains is fresh crisp oxygen with no chemical residue that traditional cleaning methods leave behind.

Tradition cleaning methods cannot match ozone for efficacy in time and money and for effectiveness of the sanitization results. Our treatment can accomplish in hours what could take traditional cleaning days and even weeks to accomplish with traditional cleaning results being mixed at best.

Enviropure ATS with its current focus on the real estate market for people selling homes wishing to rid their homes of odours and buyers wanting to ensure that their new home is rid of potentially harmful contaminants that may not be noticed but that are present none the less, is well suited to help slow the spread of Swine Flu.

About Enviropure Applied Technology Solutions (ATS)

Enviropure Canada is a technology research and development company established in 1996 with a specific focus in the remediation of air, soil and water. Enviropure Applied Technology Solutions (ATS) is an associated joint venture committed to the adaptation of green technologies tailored to the many challenges affecting the environment in which we live, work and play.
Our mandate is to research, adapt and improve successful green technologies from around the world which can be employed in the development of leading-edge environmental application solutions for our clients. Our technical abilities and practical experience are your best assurance that we can take on just about any environmental challenge from the simple to the most complex and custom tailor a solution specific to your needs. For more information visit http://www.enviropuresolutions.ca

Ken Potter
Enviropure Applied Technology Solutions
ken@enviropuresolutions.ca or 905 575-PURE (7873)

Be Smart and Don’t Let H1N1 Stall Your Business

The coming flu season has presented us with new challenges that will affect the way we do business with the public and how the perceive us.

The Influenza A [H1N1] pandemic has the potential to create major disruptions for employers. Ozone is one of the tools that is proven to inactivate this virus as reported in the June 08’ issue of The Journal of Virological Methods 153 (2008) 74–77.

Enviropure Applied Technology Solutions™ is an air, soil and water remediation specialist and we are ready to help you instill confidence with your customers and employees that you are taking measures to be proactive when it comes to today’s threats to our indoor air quality.

The EPA has stated that concentrations of indoor air contaminants in homes can sometimes reach as much as 200 times the same contaminants found outside. Add to that the fact that we spend up to 90% of our time indoors and you can no doubt see there is a need to address our indoor air quality.

The emergence of superbugs like MRSA and C-Difficile in public non healthcare settings is all the more reason for concern and with the increased media spotlight on the Swine Flu there has been created a need to fight back against the public’s fear of patronizing businesses.

We at Enviropure are committed to providing you, your staff and customers with the safest, freshest indoor air free of contaminants that can cause odours and negatively affect your health and wellbeing.

Our technology is completely scalable, allowing us to eliminate the threat of contaminants from the air and from all surfaces, (including soft furnishings and fabrics) in extremely large areas.

By intelligently controlling atmospheric Ozone concentration, we are able to safely decontaminate any given area, as the additional Oxygen atom in Ozone oxidizes and inactivates a broad spectrum of pathogens. Our sanitization process is highly effective for treating the air and surfaces in any area through the eradication of: BacteriaViruses OdoursAllergensMould - FungusInfestations

Please check out our website http://www.enviropuresolutions.ca and contact us with any questions. We are currently booking service contracts for additional protection and savings.



Regards,

Your Enviropure Team
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
ken@enviropuresolutions.ca or 905-575-PURE (7873)

Penn State Researcher Developing Nonthermal Ways to Kill Food Pathogens

Penn State researcher developing nonthermal ways to kill food pathogens
Friday, March 31, 2006

University Park, Pa. -- Soft-spoken and mild-mannered, Ali Demirci doesn't seem like a natural born killer. The associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has a decidedly unthreatening appearance. But make no mistake -- he's every germ's worst nightmare. "I don't like pathogens," he says simply. "My work is all about finding novel ways to kill them without using heat. Employing nonthermal ways to destroy pathogens allows us to decontaminate food without damaging the products." There are good reasons for coming up with new processing technologies to increase food safety, according to Demirci. "Infectious diseases are increasing throughout the world," he says. "Even though food production and storage systems are advanced, and strictly regulated in the United States, about 76 million cases of intestinal infectious diseases occur annually. Therefore, efforts to minimize foodborne infectious diseases have increased significantly in the last decade." Foodborne pathogens, including E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, cause serious outbreaks in this country and all over the world due to consumption of contaminated meat, poultry, eggs, milk, fruits and vegetables, Demirci points out. To produce safe foods, novel technologies are being investigated for various applications. "Emerging technologies include irradiation, high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric field and ohmic heating," he says. "I have been investigating the use of ozone, supercritical carbon dioxide, electrolyzed oxidizing water and pulsed UV-light. "They all seem promising to combat food-borne pathogens," Demirci adds. "However, more research is needed to find the best application for each technology, as well as optimizing the process for a specific application. We hope the efforts will pay off by reducing outbreaks due to consumption of minimally processed foods." Ozone has been proven to be a more effective antimicrobial than the most commonly used disinfectant, chlorine, against a wide range of microorganisms, Demirci explains. It has been used safely in water treatment plants for decades. In 2001, the FDA approved using ozone to treat raw commodities and decontaminate minimally processed fruits and vegetables. "In Europe and Japan, ozone is used to increase shelf life of foods such as meats, fruits and cheeses," he says. "Ozone has certain characteristics that make it attractive for use as a sanitizer in food processing. It is a strong antimicrobial agent with high reactivity and spontaneous decomposition to a nontoxic product -- oxygen. "Ozone decays quickly in water, thus, its use may be considered as a process rather than a food additive, with no safety concerns about consumption of residual ozone in food products," he says. "Ozone has been used with varied success to inactivate microflora on meat, poultry, eggs, fish, fruits, vegetables and dry fruits." In his laboratory, Demirci and his associates have used ozone to decontaminate alfalfa seeds and sprouts as well as small fruits, such as strawberries. For seeds treated with ozone, a 92 percent reduction in pathogens was achieved using a two-minute contact time, and a better than 99 percent reduction was achieved with a 64-minute contact time with aqueous ozone. For strawberries, 99.9 percent reduction was obtained using pressured gaseous ozone after 64 minutes of contact time. Electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water is another novel disinfecting and cleaning agent, which is produced by electrolysis of a very dilute saltwater solution in an electrolysis chamber. The generation of EO water involves subjecting the saltwater to direct current voltage, creating two types of water possessing different characteristics. One is a dilute sodium hydroxide solution (alkaline EO water), the other a mild hypochlorous acid solution (acidic EO water). "The antimicrobial activity of acidic EO water appears to be due to the combination of high oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), presence of chlorine and low pH. On the other hand, alkaline EO water can be used as cleaning agent to remove soils. "EO water has demonstrated strong bactericidal properties," says Demirci. "Our studies also suggest that EO water can be used instead of expensive cleaning and sanitizing products for clean-in-place cleaning of certain food-processing systems, such as dairies." As a pathogen killer, pulsed ultraviolet light also has a lot of potential. Ultraviolet light, an electromagnetic radiation in the spectral region, possesses germicidal properties, according to Demirci. It deactivates the DNA of microorganisms and thus destroys their ability to multiply and cause disease. "Ultraviolet technology is a nonchemical approach to disinfection," he says. "In this method, nothing is added, which makes this process simple, inexpensive and very low-maintenance." The key to making this technology affordable is that the ultraviolet light is pulsed. "Many researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of UV-light for reduction of microbial loads on food surfaces by inactivating the bacterial components and DNA of microorganisms without adversely affecting the quality of the food," he says. "These studies involve continuous UV-light applications. "The conventional systems produce continuous UV-light with a power dissipation in the range of 100 to 1,000 watts," Demirci continues. "Generating these high-intensity, energy-density levels with continuous UV-light can be costly to the user, which demands that systems be designed for the maximum conversion and collection efficiency of UV radiation. However, pulsed UV systems can dissipate many megawatts of electrical power in the light source. "Therefore, a modest energy input can yield high peak power dissipation. The pulsed light flashes are created by compressing electrical energy into short pulses and using these pulses to energize an inert gas lamp. The lamp emits an intense flash of light for a duration of a few hundred microseconds. Because the lamp can be flashed many times per second, only few flashes are required to produce a high level of microbial kill," Demirci explains. "We have evaluated pulsed UV technology for decontamination of alfalfa seeds, corn meal, fish, honey, milk and water." Penn State got its experimental system through a NASA grant. "NASA is interested in our research and gave Penn State a food grant to fund part of it because we are experimenting with a dry system of decontamination that doesn't require chemicals or water and would be a useful process on a space station or shuttle because it requires only electricity." Documenting that these novel technologies are effective in killing pathogens in a controlled setting is just part of the challenge, Demirci points out. "In the laboratory environment over the last six years, we have proved that they work," he says. "But now, we have to figure out how to make them work on the production line. It is a huge challenge to boost these technologies' ability to kill pathogens to near 100 percent at production line speeds and transfer the technology to the commercial arena." The equipment to accomplish these novel technologies is all commercially available to food-processing companies, "but they don't know what to do with them," Demirci says. "We are focused right now on trying to determine what we need to do to make these cutting-edge concepts work commercially to reduce food-borne illness." What makes Demirci's research especially promising, he believes, is that it has applications to homeland security. "If a terrorist would contaminate the food supply or the water supply, these novel food-safety technologies, if perfected, could be used to decontaminate food and water supplies," he says. "We are investigating funding sources for our work with the defense and homeland security departments."

Contact Jeff Mulhollem jjm29@psu.edu 814-863-2719

Original post here.
http://live.psu.edu/story/16992

Visit Our Website at http://www.enviropuresolutions.ca

Your Car Is Crawling With Bacteria

Check This Article Out!

Your Car Is Crawling With Bacteria: Study
Monday September 15, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff

If you're a germaphobe who takes your car to work every morning, you may just want to skip this story - or you could be doing more spraying than steering.
A British study has come to some shocking conclusions about what you're driving around with in your car on your way to and from work every day - and it's not those carpoolers beside you.
The research from Aston University in Birmingham shows the average vehicle has about 283 different types of bacteria inside of it in every square centimetre. And that's not all. One of the worst offenders is the place you touch the most often - the gear shift. That was found to be home to about 356 different germs.
Even more alarming is your trunk, where some 850 bacteria were found to be happily going along for the ride. In one case, scientists also discovered traces of excrement there, noting it's the same place where many people put their groceries after coming home from a shopping trip.
Not surprisingly, microbiologists determined those who transport kids and pets had the most germ filled cars.
"Whilst most of the bacteria we've found are unlikely to cause serious health problems, some cars, particularly those which regularly carry children and animals, play host to potentially harmful germs," notes Anthony Hilton, the University's director of Biology and Biomedical Science.
Another big problem: the dashboard, where many people put their food, as they eat on the run. Researchers found old hamburger wrappers, empty drink bottles, and even uneaten morsels in many of the cars, while their survey of more than 1,300 owners found most admitted their vehicles were littered with such debris.
That has Hilton worried. "People would be horrified at the thought of eating off their toilet seat," he warns. "But few realize eating off their car dashboard is just as likely to make them sick."
If that still hasn't made you paranoid about getting behind the wheel, consider this as winter approaches - turning on the heat could be blowing more microscopic beasties your way.
Older cars were found to harbour larger amounts of airborne bacteria and fungi whenever a driver turns on the fan. Scientists believe that's because few people bother to replace their air filters as their vehicles age.
The study was conducted for a U.K. insurance comparison website in a bid to remind motorists to take better care of their cars.
And it shows the majority of those asked admit to being something of a slob when it comes to their automobiles. Fully half agreed they'd never allow their homes to reach the condition their cars are in.
Think about that as you head back and forth to work this week. If you haven't decided to walk.

Here is a link to the actual article.
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_26857.aspx

Go to our website http://www.enviropuresolutions.ca for solutions!

Media Release - Look to Mother Nature to Combat Swine Flu, C-Difficile and MRSA

MEDIA RELEASE
Look to Mother Nature to Combat Swine Flu, C-Difficile and MRSA
Hamilton, Ontario-May 22nd 2009-Local Hamilton Company Provides Green Solutions for Superbugs

It is nearly impossible to turn on the news without hearing about the latest virus or superbug that promises to wreak havoc on society. Seldom, amidst this barrage of imminent threats, do you ever hear about any legitimate solutions. Fortunately, where nature creates a malignant problem, it also provides a powerful solution.
Have you ever noticed that fresh smell present after a lighting storm? That smell is ozone. Ozone, also known as electrified oxygen, is created when normal 02 (the air that we breathe) is ionized and gains a third oxygen atom, becoming 03. Although ozone is created in many different ways, the most common catalysts are lighting strikes and the sun’s ultra-violet light. Ozone is among nature’s most powerful sanitizing forces. It actively seeks out and neutralizes threatening organic and chemical compounds, leaving them unable to spread and cause damage to our environment.
A recent study published by the Journal of Virological Methods(June 2008), conducted by the Mayo Clinic of Rochester MN, Brigham Young University and Utah Valley State College, documented the inactivation of a Type A, H1N1 virus through ozone disinfection. The Type A, H1N1 virus is classified as the virus responsible for the current outbreaks of Swine Flu. C-difficile, like Swine Flu, is an airborne virus that can live for months. It has plagued many in Ontario, and killed more than 2000 people in Quebec in 2006 alone.
The Hamilton Spectator published several articles, including one entitled “Northern Ireland Quick to Respond to C.Diff” (June 9th, 2008 author Joan Walters), which praised Northern Ireland’s expedited action to fight C-Difficile and contrasted it with Ontario’s relative inaction. Part of Northern Ireland’s strategy to combat the virus was using ozone to cleanse the materials they used to clean their hospitals. It was observed that washing cleaning tools, such as mop heads and rags, in hot water with cleaning agents was ineffectual, but ozonating the water was able to kill the spores that, ironically, were only being spread around by the tools that are intended to eliminate them.
Ozone has also been proven to kill MRSA, E-Coli, Salmonella Choleraesuis, Listeria, Staphylococcus Aureua, Candida Albicans, Aspergillus Niger and many more. Since ozone is a gas, it is able to penetrate every nook and cranny accessible to any airborne virus. It also kills unwanted dust mites, mould and mildew, commonly found in homes and it does it 3000 times faster than chlorine bleach and with no chemical residue. It is used in many fields, ranging from the most sensitive (medical, dental, bottled water, food) to the most harsh industries (fire restoration, crime scenes). On June 26th, 2001 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of ozone as an antimicrobial agent in gas or liquid phases for direct contact with foods(Docket Number 00F-1482). Subsequently, other related reporting and control agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S Department of Agriculture, have also approved ozone as a powerful sterilant. It is emerging as a tool with many applications and benefits. As recent as last week, ozone was used to treat Xaverian High School in New York to combat the Swine Flu virus and a myriad of other contaminants. The treatment was even endorsed by New York state senator Martin J. Golden.
On this side of the border, Enviropure (http://www.enviropuresolutions.ca), a Hamilton based company, produces and applies ozone to solve many tough problems. Envriopure has relentlessly searched out green technologies which have been successfully implemented around the world and has brought them home. With more than 12 years of experience in combating harmful bacteria in air, water and soil in a wide variety of venues, ranging from livestock farms to residential homes, Enviropure specializes in inactivating the bacteria that threaten health and cause unwanted odour. The company is able to mimic nature’s process in creating powerful ozone gas and uses it to cleanse the space in which people live, work and travel. Once ozone has neutralized bacteria, it reverts back to the normal oxygen we breathe every day, offering a much more effective and environmentally friendly solution than other chemical alternatives. Enviropure satisfies their mandate to use only green technologies as well as maximize results by using an array of other green technologies, such as EO Water and natural enzymes, in sync with its ozone applications. "Proven technology to fight these superbugs is here. It's our goal to educated the public and make it accessible to individuals, organizations and businesses", says Enviropure Canada President and CEO Robin Martlew.
If there is one thing that history has taught us about superbugs, it’s that they often come back return with a vengeance, boasting even stronger resistance to man-made solutions. Nature has provided us with a safe, effective solution that works and is as old as lightning and the sun’s rays. The challenge, especially when money and budgets are involved, is to be proactive instead of the even costlier alternative of being reactive.
Contact Enviropure Applied Technology Solutions ken@enviropuresolutions.ca or 905-575-PURE (7873)