Thanks to clean air technology startups

Did you enjoy World Clean Air Day on September 7? Whether the skies were clear on this day depends on what we’ve been doing for clean air. Don’t worry too much because Asian ‘clean air tech’ startups are stepping up to the plate to make our skies blue. They’re eager to experiment with everything they can do with air.

Water flows from the air

Watergen

Can you imagine water being produced from water vapor by a water purifier? The main technology involves using the moisture in the air to generate safe drinking water. Watergen, an Israeli startup, has developed an innovative heat exchange technology known as the GENius. This technology utilizes a patented heat exchanger to convert air into pure drinking water. The system includes a built-in blower that pulls air from the atmosphere, and an internal air filter to remove dust and dirt particles, ensuring that the air entering the system is clean. The air is then condensed into water through the heat exchanger. The resulting water undergoes a purification process that includes a UV lamp to eliminate microorganisms and break down harmful chemicals. The result is high-quality drinking water. This technology has the potential to address the issue of global water scarcity, as it only requires air, which is available in deserts, earthquake-affected areas, volcanic regions, war zones, and other locations where water is in high demand. Air is indeed the source of life-giving water.

Catch the cow’s burp

METECH

Cows’ burps and farts are very hot – they’re a significant source of methane gas emissions, one of the leading causes of global warming. The world’s 1.5 billion cows emit as much methane as all the cars on the planet. To tackle this issue, a South Korean startup called METECH has developed the world’s first device to capture methane and carbon dioxide from the inside of a cow’s stomach. This device works by feeding cows ‘methane capsules’ and then placing them in their rumen to measure their methane concentration and emissions using the Internet of Things. While many farms analyze the methane gas released by the cows, measuring it after it has already been released into the air reduces its concentration and causes measurement errors. METECH claims that to obtain accurate results, methane must be measured inside the cow’s stomach. At this stage, the methane is captured, reducing the amount produced by 60%. Therefore, by removing the methane gas before it is released, it will no longer contribute to global warming. This breakthrough will allow cows to continue burping and farting without harming the environment. No longer do they have to create an unpleasant air.

Paint a nice picture with polluted air

Graviky Labs

This ink is full of dirty air pollutants. This means that the pollutants have been captured and turned into ink. This innovative ink, known as Air-Ink, is developed by the Indian startup Graviky Labs. It is produced by recycling and extracting heavy metals from fine particulate pollutants with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less. Graviky Labs came up with the idea after observing how pollutants from diesel generators were causing white walls to turn black. They initially connected a soot collector to the exhaust system of a diesel generator, which could be attached to a car or a chimney. This collector gathered the soot, which was then dried to capture soot particles. Subsequently, the harmful substances were removed and refined to create ink. Air-Ink is available in the form of pens, sprays, and paints and offers artists the opportunity to unleash their creativity. Imagine if all the soot in the world could be immediately captured and transformed into colorful paint. Our planet’s colors would be clearer and the skies less cloudy.

Fleece is more than just warm

Airee

In the future, we might need to use wool filters in our noses and mouths to breathe cleaner air. A Mongolian startup called Airee has found that wool filters can effectively capture fine particles and harmful gases from the air. The proteins in wool can bind to formaldehyde and filter out harmful substances, while the wool fibers have electromagnetic properties that can capture volatile organic compounds with opposite charges. This creates a dense structure in the wool, preventing particulate matter and pollutants from passing through. Additionally, natural wool filters are organic and biodegradable, making them an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic filters. Therefore, using wool filters could help us breathe cleaner air. Let’s cover the cars we drive, the windows we look out of, and the roofs of our homes with wool so we can breathe a little cleaner.