Initial lab tests show that filters coated with Steel Jupiter technology trap up to 99.9% of airborne viruses
BETHLEHEM, Pa., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Steel Jupiter has achieved a major development milestone with the recent issuance of a device determination from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the company’s unique and innovative “Zinnia Technology-Coated MERV 8 Air Filter.” The EPA’s determination confirms that the Zinnia-coated filter operates through dual-action aerosol trapping mechanisms under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
With the regulatory path now established, Steel Jupiter can proceed with its go-to-market plan, which includes performance testing multiple filter types across various real-world operational and environmental factors in simulated and actual settings, working with leading indoor air experts. Steel Jupiter anticipates completing this final validation testing over the next several months.
Initial independent laboratory-scale testing at leading research organizations demonstrates that the Zinnia coating, when applied to standard air filters, has the potential to trap up to 99.9%* of airborne viruses, utilizing its water-based aerosol attracting properties. Furthermore, the coating does not impede filter airflow, leading to no increase in energy usage, thereby significantly enhancing virus-trapping effectiveness in a sustainable manner.
“We are pleased to move forward with the final steps in bringing filters coated with our transformative Zinnia coating to market,” said Carlos Tellez, Founder and CEO of Steel Jupiter. Tellez added that the company’s aim is “to make enhanced airborne filtration technology accessible to all people in an energy-efficient and sustainable manner.”
Steel Jupiter, Inc., founded in early 2021, is a U.S.-based manufacturer focused on developing and deploying the patented Zinnia coating technology (under license from FXI Inc, UK), and in collaboration with its inventor, Prof. Andrew Barron. Zinnia has proved effective in enhancing the trapping of airborne viruses when applied to air filtration material that is used in various settings, including homes, schools, office buildings, and industrial facilities. Airborne viruses are spread indoors by water-based aerosols (e.g., via exhalation), which Zinnia effectively attracts.
Steel Jupiter is headquartered in Bethlehem, PA and received an investment from Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern PA in 2023. The company is committed to addressing public health, environmental, and natural resources challenges for the benefit of all communities, particularly underserved or high-risk populations, such as seniors and those with pre-existing conditions.
For more information about Steel Jupiter’s Founder and CEO, and the Zinnia inventor, please refer to the details below. Additional information about Steel Jupiter can be found at steeljupiter.com. For inquiries about the potential benefits of Zinnia or to receive updates, please contact us.
Information about Steel Jupiter CEO, Carlos Tellez:
Carlos Tellez is Founder and CEO of Steel Jupiter, Inc, and is former long-time CEO of Synovos, a leading Pennsylvania-based global MRO and supply chain company. Tellez previously was a Vice President at Fluor Corporation, and Director of Operations at Lockheed-Martin, and has an engineering degree from Stanford University, and a master’s degree from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Information about the Zinnia inventor, Prof. Andrew Barron:
Prof. Andrew Barron serves on the Steel Jupiter Advisory Board and is a holder of 40 patents and author of 550 peer reviewed publications in chemistry, physics, materials engineering, biology, and medicine. Barron is the founder and director of the Energy Safety Research Institute (ESRI) in the UK, is currently a visiting professor at the University of Arizona, is a former environmental and energy professor at Swansea University in the UK, and former chemistry professor at Rice and Harvard Universities. Prof. Barron is a director of FXI Inc UK, the owner and licensor of the CAMO Patent. Zinnia is the commercial name for CAMO in the Americas.
* Efficacy testing performed using aerosolized bacteriophage Phi X, a surrogate for common enveloped viruses such as Sars-Cov-2, influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and others, demonstrated up to 99.9% removal of viruses in a top-ranking university research laboratory.
SOURCE Steel Jupiter
