Methods and Compositions for Inactivating Allergens and Allergen-Producing Organisms

Reference #: 00690

The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for this technology

Potential Applications:

This technology has the potential to be used on a full-scale industrial level for purposes such as home carpet cleaning.

Advantages and Benefits:

• With the combination of killing and removing dust mites and dust mite feces, indoor allergen levels will be significantly lowered compared to the usual deep vacuum cleaning method.
• More powerful, but still non-toxic, alternative to traditionally ineffective vacuuming
• Leaves no soluble solvent residuals

Invention Description:

Allergy and asthma caused by dust mite activity are a serious issue in public health. More than 80% of American homes have detectable dust mite allergens. Allergenic proteins excreted by dust mites are the major components responsible for the allergic and asthmatic reactions. Current methods for dealing with dust mites are frequent vacuuming, and topical application of a topical insecticide to kill the dust mites. Such remedies are short-lived, and in addition neither vacuuming nor topical applications of insecticide penetrate very far into the article being treated. Thus, the dust mites and the allergens survive and persist. For highly sensitive individuals, the only relief from allergies comes from medication, including painful and expensive injections.

This method penetrates carpet fibers and loosens dust mites (and allergy-inducing mite debris) using a dry fluid stream combined with vacuuming. The process will also kill living dust mites instantly, and will also allow application of a residual acaricide that will prevent re-infestation. This invention allows deeper and more thorough cleaning of carpets than conventional vacuuming or UV irradiation, and is specifically designed to abate allergens associated with dust mites.