Indian Institute of Technology- Madras (IIT-M) and Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Chennai, are collaborating with Queen Mary University of London to develop India-centric air sanitisation technologies and guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus and tuberculosis.

The joint research is aimed to develop a low-cost bio-aerosol protection system to suppress air-transmitted diseases in indoor locations. In collaboration with Magneto Cleantech, a Delhi-based start-up, the testing and implementation will be done with real-time applications in various Indian environments, said a press release from IIT Madras.

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The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed over four lakh lives in India alone. TB killed over 4.45 lakh people In India during 2019 and is among the top 10 causes of death worldwide.

Focus on Indian subcontinent

The target geographies for this project are India and its neighbouring countries. The major factor working with this area is the high population and heavy urban pollution. It is expected that this project, when successfully implemented, will benefit nearly 10 crore people in the Indian subcontinent.

The project will be aimed at developing an experimental proof-of-concept of a revolutionary air filtration system using ‘Ultraviolet-C’ radiation. It has a strong potential to increase the effectiveness of eliminating viruses and other airborne pathogens and reduce maintenance costs as compared to the available filters, which is important for developing countries such as India, the release said.

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