Air Filters with Ultra Treatment

There is and always was a risk when replacing potentially contaminated air filters. Besides using protective clothing, air filters
with biostatic treated media give high additional protection for service technicians because:

• They effectively reduce secondary emissions on the clean gas side, that can make their way to downstream areas
• They reduce the risk of direct contact with still active microorganisms when changing and handling used filters.

The following four step procedure describes how air filters with an Ultra treatment work:

1. The filter traps both inert and microbe or fungi containing particulates
2. The Ultra treated media inhibits the growth of fungi and bacteria on contact
3. The Ultra treatment reduces the growth potential of microbes or fungi on and through the filter media
4. The combined properties of the filter and the Ultra treatment prevent microbes or fungi from moving downstream of the air filter into the downstream zone thus improving the Indoor Air Quality level.

Bacteria are the most prolific life form, dating back over 3 billion years. Though some bacteria are disease producing (pathogens) most are beneficial to mankind. In fact, bacteria are crucial to the human defence system. Some are used in industrial and manufacturing processes such
as in the production of antibiotics and pharmaceuticals.

Bacteria are found on all surfaces exposed to the environment, including the skin, respiratory, digestive and reproductive tracts. Many studies have been carried out on the size and shape of bacteria and their behaviour in an airstream. Most bacteria are in the size range 0.1 μm to 10 μm. When they become airborne they tend to attach to particles larger than 1 μm. This means they can be captured by a filter on which they can breed and multiply.

To address this problem, AAF has treated a wide range of filters with an Ultra treatment. This treatment is effective against a wide range of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria which have been documented to affect indoor air quality.

Examples of affected Gram positive bacteria (families):
Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Listeria, Sarcina, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Streptomyces

Examples of affected Gram negative bacteria (families):
Aeromonas, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Legionella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Shigella

There are at least 100,000 known species of fungi. The most widely known are yeasts, mushrooms, moulds and toadstools. Some fungi, such as yeasts, are extremely useful to man. They are used in the production of beer.

Others for example are used in the food processing industry in the manufacture of cheese. In the environment, fungi play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance. Unfortunately, what make fungi so useful to nature also make some of them undesirable to humans.

Most fungi metabolic products some of which are known to have a detrimental effect on Indoor Air Quality. Mycotoxins are substances produced under specific conditions by certain moulds. These toxins may cause health problems in humans when inhaled. If fungi are allowed to pervade in an HVAC unit their spores can cause infections and disease when they become airborne. In fact, fungi are reported to be one of the main causes of Sick Building Syndrome and Building Related Illness. To address this problem, AAF has treated a wide range of filters with an Ultra treatment. This treatment is effective in inhibiting a wide range of fungi documented to affect indoor air quality.

Examples of affected fungi (families):
Aspergillus Niger, Candida, Penicillium, Trichoderma

Ultra treatment protects IAQ

Air filters outfitted with an Ultra treatment make use of a antimicrobial treatment of the air filter media. The applied bacteriostatic and fungistatic treatment are tested and compliant to the Biocidal Products Regulation No 528/2012/EU. Furthermore Ultra treated products are tasted according
to ISO 20743 (antibacterial activity of antibacterial textile products including nonwovens).

Our Ultra products do not make use of biocidal agents like phenols or heavy metals such as cadmium, lead or mercury or halogenated compounds such as fluorine, bromine or chlorine. Our air filter products with an Ultra treatment do not contain any arsenic or formaldehyde. The efficacy of Ultra treated products in inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi on air filters has been tested and documented by independent test institutes. Results of laboratory testing showed that Ultra treated air filters were more effective in inhibiting the growth of bacteria fungi than
untreated air filters.

In this way we make sure that we improve your Indoor Air Quality.

Properties of the Ultra treatment

AAF has carefully developed the Ultra treatment with its suppliers to ensure a good performance of the treated air filters. The Ultra treatment does not affect the filters’ efficiency or performance levels. The treatment has been designed for a long lasting effect during the filters’ period of use. The durability of the treatment ensures that treated products retain their performance after many exposures to moisture. AAF air filters
with an Ultra treatment are particularly effective in conditions of high humidity and regions of climatic change.

There is no detectable off gassing or migration above specific migration limits from the air filters in which the Ultra treatment is applied.

Ultra treated products can be safely disposed

Products with an Ultra treatment can be safely disposed in a landfill or in a municipal incinerator. When landfilled the product will not leach into the environment. Always dispose used air filters according to the local waste disposal regulations. 

When protection counts: Ask for Ultra!