NEUTRALIZING BIOHAZARDS
The Aeris™ banknote decontamination system effectively neutralizes biohazards (viruses, toxins, and bacteria) on paper and polymer banknotes to help protect the public and banknote processing staff. Efficacy of biohazard decontamination was tested in collaboration with Nova Biologicals Inc. laboratory.
The Aeris 400 system, our largest capacity machine, enables the decontamination of 120,000 – 150,000 notes per processing cycle and allows for immediate reintroduction of the banknotes. With a one hour processing time per decontamination cycle, more than one million banknotes can be processed in an eight hour shift.
DECONTAMINATION EFFICIENCY
In collaboration with Nova Biologicals, tests were performed to measure the efficacy of Aeris banknote decontamination. The testing determined:
- A reduction in viral load to non-detectable limits.
- A 104 reduction in bacteria was found, which is in line with the efficacy of household disinfectants such as Lysol.
- E. Coli, Staphylococcus, and Spores were not able to be detected after Aeris cleaning.
- Tests measured a >99% reduction in:
- heavy metals (mercury)
- pesticides, and insecticides.
BANKNOTE CONTAMINATION STUDIES AND RELATED NEWS
Protecting Cash, Safeguarding the Public Against COVID-19 – Part 3, Currency News Supplement Issue 3 July 2020
How Central Banks Treat the Banknote Topic Regarding the COVID-19, Banknote Industry News, Mar. 2, 2020
China: Central Bank Started Banknote Cleaning Process // Spectra Systems: AerisTM Banknote Cleaning System, Banknote Industry News, Feb. 17, 2020
Microbial Contamination of Currency Notes and Coins in Circulation: A Potential Public Health Hazard, Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Oct. 11, 2014
How Bad Is The Problem Of Germ-Covered Cash?, Forbes, Jan. 31, 2014
Dirty banknotes may be spreading the coronavirus, WHO suggests, The Telegraph, Mar. 2, 2020
WHO warns the paper money in your pocket may carry the coronavirus, The Hill, Mar. 4, 2020
Bank notes being burned and quarantined to stop spread of coronavirus, Metro, Mar. 6, 2020
Coronavirus: Iran limits travel and urges banknote avoidance, BBC, Mar. 5, 2020
Optimization of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Based Virus Inactivation, Characterized by Protein Damage and Maintenance of Epitope Integrity in Vaccine Sterilization, NIH, Jul. 1, 2015
New York University’s Microbiome Project
“.. more than 3,000 bacterial types, including some drug-resistant species..”
The Scientist – April 24, 2014
Ghanaian Currency
D. Tagoe, S. Baidoo, I. Dadzie, D. Ahator. “A Study of Bacterial Contamination of Ghanaian Currency Notes in Circulation” The Internet Journal of Microbiology. 2009 Volume 8, Number 2.
Nigerian Currency
B.E. Asikong, M.E. Eja, C.I. Mboto and C. Abriba. “Microbial Contamination of Nigerian Currency: A Potential Health Risk to Handlers” Global Journal of Medical Sciences Vol 6, No. 1, 2007