CarboNix LLC Receives Major Grant from the National Institutes of Health
October 8, 2014
Columbia-based Company Committed to Eliminating Allergy and Asthma-Causing Dust Mites from the Home
COLUMBIA, SC – CarboNix LLC, a Columbia-based technology company that has developed a safe and environmentally clean way to eliminate indoor allergens and dust mites, has received another major grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant was awarded to the company to further the development of the company’s patented process that eliminates indoor allergens that can trigger severe allergies and dangerous asthma attacks.
The company, which was founded by Dr. Michael A. Matthews and Allan M. Quick, is based on Dr. Matthew’s research in the Department of Chemical Engineering of the College of Engineering and Computing at The University of South Carolina, with technology exclusively licensed from the South Carolina Research Foundation.
Company founders believe that the technology will not only improve the quality of life for many, it also has the potential to save lives.
“The mission of our company is to help people with severe allergies or asthma live safely in their homes,” said Dr. Matthews. “Many people, especially children, suffer from serious allergies, and exposure to high levels of allergens can lead to very serious health consequences and even death. We want to make sure that both children and adults can live in a safe environment and not have to worry about toxins in their own home.”
Allergies and asthma are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States, and can be fatal, especially in children under the age of 13. More than five thousand children die annually from asthma attacks in the US. Allergies and asthma also cause an estimated 3.8 million lost work and school days per year, and according to the American Lung Association, approximately 32.5 million Americans (11.2%) have been diagnosed with asthma. Studies indicate that most children with exacerbated asthma attacks have been exposed to high level of indoor allergens, especially from dust mites. These children are often re-admitted several times to hospitals if the source isn’t detected and eliminated.
The CarboNix process works by using compressed carbon dioxide to produce a mixture of extremely cold CO2 vapor and tiny dry ice pellets, accelerated by jets of compressed air, to instantly drop the temperature to below -25ºC in dust mite habitats such as carpets, mattresses and upholstered furniture. The dust mite’s body is 85% water, and this “flash-freezing” is instantly fatal. This was demonstrated in research conducted by Matthews and Quick in a previous NIH research grant. The system’s vacuum removes residual CO2 gas as well as allergenic dust, dead mites and their waste, eggs, larva and other debris, into a truck-mounted, outdoor receptacle. The process is clean and dry and does not use harsh chemicals. A safe, natural acaricide such as tea tree oil may also be used to delay the re-infestation of the mites.
“Because our technology uses existing CO2 that has already been created, we are actually re-purposing the CO2 already in the atmosphere and not adding any new CO2 to the environment,” said Dr. Matthews. “And, because we actually vacuum the allergens into a system that remains outside the home, we are able to remove dust mites and other toxins, safely and effectively.”
CarboNix plans to have the first trucks operational and on the road in the Columbia area by early 2015. Following a local launch, the company plans to expand its service area regionally, and ultimately, make the technology available nationwide.
CarboNix initial start-up funding was provided by SC Launch, a program of the South Carolina Research Authority, and SC EPSCoR/IDEA Phase 0 SBIRs, a state operated program designed to encourage innovative research by small companies.
For more information, visit www.carbonix.org or contact Dr. Mike Matthews at [email protected] or Allan Quick at [email protected]
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About CarboNix LLC
The mission of CarboNix LLC is to develop and commercialize environmentally-clean and safe technology for the abatement and destruction of indoor allergens. The process uses existing CO2 from the environment and repurposes it to remove the dust-borne hazards that can trigger asthma attacks. CarboNix technology can safely and effectively remove household allergens – and particularly dust mites- from the home, so that people with allergies and allergy-induced asthma can live safely and comfortably. For more information, visit www.carbonix.org.
