Emirates airline to trial new solution that keeps surfaces Covid-free for a year

Emirates airline will run a trial on a sprayable solution that is claimed to keep surfaces coronavirus-free for up to a year.

The disinfectant, developed by Helsinki-based Nanoksi Finland, uses photocatalysis - speeding a chemical process by exposure to light - to wipe out 98 per cent of microbes within two hours.

The solution, based on titanium dioxide, needs to be reapplied once a year. It is in use in hospitals, schools and factories in Finland.

Nanoksi was the winning entry from 107 submissions from around the world in the Aviation X Lab Accelerate Traveller Wellbeing Challenge, a competition that invited companies to submit ready-for-market coronavirus-related products and solutions that could improve health and safety precautions in aviation, and help restore confidence in travel.

Aviation X Lab is an aviation-focused incubator created by Emirates airline, Airbus, Collins Aerospace, GE Aviation and Thales.

Aviation X Lab will help companies develop their ideas and make them accessible in markets around the world .

The Emirates' trial of the Nanoksi solution will take place in its lounges at Dubai International Airport. It will then be introduced aboard its aircraft, Amna Al Redha, lab manager at Aviation X Lab, said.

"We haven't started rolling it out on flights yet. We're conducting the first POC (proof of concept) in our lounges, which is going to be rolling out in the next couple of weeks," Ms Al Redha told The National.

Coronavirus in the UAE:

"Once that proves to be successful, we can look at having it on board our planes as well."

While not revealing details , Ms Al Redha said the spray would prove cost effective because it only needed to be applied to surfaces once a year.

A team from Nanoksi will arrive in Dubai in the coming days to oversee the  10-week trial.

Other finalists

In addition to Nanoksi, five other companies were shortlisted in the competition, which was hosted in partnership with Area 2071, Dubai Future Foundation's (DFF) innovation ecosystem. Here's a look at their pitches to Aviation X.

Sanitizexperts - The UAE firm used ultraviolet C (UVC), an affordable, eco-friendly, chemical-free sanitiser for air and surfaces, to develop a range of products including an aeroplane trolley, a UVC robot, and a Sanitizexperts Handy.

HealthCheck - A pair of innovators from the US, HealthCheck created a mobile health platform involving medical grade wearable devices that monitor users' vital signs in real time. The devices analyse the data through an app for efficient screening of potential coronavirus carriers.

EOD Sanitizer - A US-Finnish collaboration, EOD Sanitizer is the only non-polluting disinfectant in the world to date, suitable for anything from surfaces to fruits and vegetables, hands and even eyes. Made by ozonising drinking water, it eliminates 99.99 per cent of viruses and bacteria in less than five seconds, and leaves no residue.

TeraSights - This UAE entry invented a sanitisation technology that produces 11,000 times the amount of UV light coming to Earth – 4,000 W per square metres – to sanitise any surface. Based on this technology, the company developed a personal UV stick, a flexible UV wand, and a UV sanitisation box for a wide variety of uses.

Waire - The UK entry builds state-of-the-art wearable smart vital signs monitoring solutions designed for coronavirus that offer medical-grade accuracy.