Trevor William Sievert   Premium Member

ECA Technology - Electro-Activated Water Solutions for Non-Toxic, Environmentally-Friendly, Safe and Absolute Deadly Disinfection of All Known Pathogens

A. Introduction

Water is the essence of life. People use approximately 7 billion tons of water daily. Water comprises about 70% of the surface of planet Earth and makes up about 70% of animal tissue. As a chemical substance, water is unique, and its composition and intrinsic characteristics have no analogue in Nature.

Radical Waters has been developing a unique technology for the past 10 years. It is a break-though technology within the science of electro-chemistry, that is an old science that has been around for over 180 years.

The human body, which consists essentially of water (70%), salt (9g/ltr) and energy field (i.e. metabolic energy/heat), uses its white blood cells to fight infection. In their fight against germs and infection, the white blood cells naturally produce a range of mixed oxidants. Radical Waters uses the same principle by combining water, saline and energy to produce an effective microbial control mechanism

Understanding the basics of Electro-Activated technology is a simple matter. Just think back to elementary school chemistry where a connected circuit, consisting of an Anode (Zink) and a Cathode (Copper), is placed in a table salt solution (NaCL), as a means of producing electricity. Essentially, tap water with a very small quantity of salt (0.2%) is run through electrolytic cells, where it is exposed to a high-energy field.


By inserting a ceramic membrane, an ingenious Russian, Prof. Bakhir, found a way to separate the NaCl solution into its most basic components. The result being 2 activated/energised streams of solutions that emerge, one very positively charged and the other negatively charged, namely:

- Anolyte (positively charged molecules) – An agent with highly disinfectant properties that kills all known pathogens in identical manner to the human body with its white blood cells

+

- Catholyte (negatively charged molecule) – An agent with surfactant properties, a detergent.


B. The advantages of this technology

Can be summed up as follows: -

• Two streams (Anolyte and Catholyte) of differently activated solutions are generated simultaneously – offering a wide spectrum of oxidant and oxidant applications –often complementary;

• Flexibility of method of application – used in dilutions (e.g. decontamination of water) or in a concentrated (sterilisation of equipment) form immersion, spraying, fogging, infusion, in.

• A natural product = water + salt. The solutions are an effective, safe and enviro-friendly “non-chemical” alternative;

• Completely safe – non allergenic, non-sensitising;

• Wide range of applications;

• Can be used in foodstuff (Dept of Health) – shelf life extension, etc.

• Negligible residues;

• Bio-degradable – environmentally friendly;

• Multi-purpose - applications. Normally require a different chemical for different applications, while ECA can be used for a wide range of applications on the same site;

• The solutions are microcidal while at the same time having the capability to promote healing (anabolic);

• The solutions are effective against bacterial bio-film – where most chemical alternatives, such as chlorine, are not;
• Limited corrosion;

• Solutions generated on-site saving on ordering, transport, storage, special handling, application under supervision often toxic chemicals,

• Efficacy of solutions can be measured and monitored in-line. Studies have shown that chemicals deteriorate with time, travel and environmental conditions and are often ineffective at the point of application where there is normally no means of measuring the efficacy level of the chemical. Chemicals are invariably applied under the assumption that they are effective. With ECA, the efficacy levels are measured continuously in-line;

• No threat of toxic spillage;

• No threat of liability (toxic and safety);

• No pollution - no toxic/chemical waist – reducing cost of effluent and municipal fines, etc.;

• Production capacity - flexible and can generate extremely large volumes of solutions;

• Technology designed to facilitate remote monitoring and control in line with market requirements, reducing the risk of down time, offering the market a new dimension in managing disinfection programs;

• Low power consumption. Can be adapted to take off-grid power such as solar or battery power;

• Low operating expenses - using only tap water and a small amount (0.2%) of salt;

• Space - devices are small and compact;

• Convenience - on-site generation;

• Management tool – technology offers a unique and effective management tool;


C. APPLICATIONS

A few of the more important applications developed:


1. DENTISTRY (Steds)

According to the American Dental Association (A.D.A), two of the most critical issue facing dentistry today include: -

1. The bacterial contamination of dental unit water lines.

The contamination of dental unit water lines is considered a serious health hazard to both patients and dentists. It is now considered one of the major causes of inter-patient contamination, and has already resulted in several deaths. In the USA a case study was carried out on eleven people who had died from aids. The source of the aids contamination of each of these people in the case study was, at the time, unexplainable. A thorough investigation traced the source of contamination back to a particular dentist who had also subsequently died of aids. The bacterial bio-film contamination in the dentist’s irrigation lines was identified as the most likely source of this contamination. Independent studies on the bio-film in these dental unit water lines have identified the existence of almost every type of harmful bacteria and virus feared by man such as TB, HIV, etc. This high level risk of contamination in dentistry is now a major concern to the dental industry.

The A.D.A. has now set goals of less than 200 bacteria colony forming units per millilitre (CFU’s/ml) in dental water lines by the year 2000. No other effective solution to the problem is known.

Radical Waters technology effectively eliminates the bio-film and reduces the bacterial counts to less than 1 CFU/ml.

This issue is so serious that it is anticipated that regulation in the USA will emerge by July 2000 to enforce the disinfection of dental unit water lines.

2. The replacement of sodium hypochlorite (Jik) in root canal treatment

Dentists all over the world use “Jik” in root canal treatment. The dental fraternity has unsuccessfully been searching for a safer alternative for many years.

It is well known that “Jik” is extremely toxic to human cells, highly corrosive to dental equipment, has a vile taste and smell and causes irreparable damage to clothing following spillage. It is also a major cause of postoperative pain and has been associated with severe complications and even deaths following accidental injection.

Radical Waters technology is not only a safe replacement, but has proven to be substantially more effective.

Radical Waters has developed its dental applications in conjunction with Dr. Marais, a well-known researcher, at the University of Pretoria Dental School, South Africa. These two applications are the most important in a group of about 20 other applications identified and developed by Dr. Marais for dentistry. The ability of activated solutions, however, to promote healing (e.g. gingivitis) is astounding the dental fraternity. Dr. Marais has, for example, successfully treated and saved the pulp (nerve) of a number of teeth. This is almost unheard of in dentistry and makes this technology unique.

At a congress held in June 1998, this technology (Steds – trade mark) was introduced to two internationally recognised world leaders in dentistry, Prof. Gutmann from The Texas A&M University System and Prof. Chris Stock, president of the British Endodontic Association. Both experts stood up at the end of the congress and applauded our technology: -

“A scientific break-through that will revolutionise dentistry.”
“Every dentist in the world needs a Steds device right now.”

Radical Waters has subsequently received correspondence from a number of dentists in other countries who have heard about our technology at seminars and conferences presented by these two dental experts.

The Eastman Institute in the UK, a prestigious dental institute, is very excited about the potential and has begun an international verification program to test and support our international marketing endeavours. Two ECA systems (lab models) were installed in August at the Institute. Dr. Marais, at the same time, was invited by the institute to present his scientific findings to a group of leading UK dental experts where he was very well received.

In addition, two of Dr. Marais scientific papers on the above applications have just been accepted for publication in two prestigious international dental journals - the BDJ (British Dental Journal) and the International Journal of Endodontics. The first publication appeared in August 1999.

Radical Waters has ECA systems installed at three dental practises where the technology is intensively used and where hundreds of root canals have been successfully treated without a single comeback over the past 2 years. One of these three dentists is Prof. Chris Stock, one of the world-renown dental experts mentioned above, based in the UK. It bodes well for our technology when a dentist of this calibre, has the confidence to use our technology intensively in his own practice. Another 20 dentists will be included in this market test program over the next two months.

The results of our market survey of the US dental market have just been tabled. Some of the top scientists in this field found the scientific results almost “too good to be true”. Interest in licensing our technology has been shown by four of the largest dental companies in the world. Densply, the largest dental company in the world, have expressed their desire to license our technology exclusively for the international market.

One of the leading dental scientists in the USA, as recommended by respondents in the dental survey, Dr. Gary Carr, has begun a verification test program. His approval of our technology will “open” the US dental market for our technology.

This market is conservatively estimated at approximately $300 million in capital purchases of ECA devices with a potential consumable market of around $3 million per month.

2. MEDICAL

This technology has an extremely wide range of medical applications where the fields of application can be divided into two categories: -

• Disinfection and sterilisation of surfaces, equipment and machinery, and

• Medical treatment applications.

An obvious application that Radical Waters is persuing is the development of ECA devices for the generation of on-site disinfectant solutions for hospitals and clinics. The ability to generate these versatile, safe solutions on-site is a major advantage over the existing practise of distribution, storage, mixing and application under supervision of often-toxic chemicals.

There are, however, a number of other potentially high value medical applications, other than disinfection, such as the treatment of burns, purulent wounds, etc. The big advantage of these solutions is that they are safe and therefore the risk of incorrect application is negligible.

Revolutionary research has been conducted in conjunction with the University of the Witwatersrand Medical School where a wide range of human tissue has been successfully cultured in our solutions, serum free, a world first. Tissues such as cartilage tissue have been successfully cultured continuously for in excess of 12 months. “Dead” bone tissue scraped off in hip replacement operations have been successfully “revived”. This research does not only prove the safety aspects of the solutions but also has revolutionary implications for medicine in such areas as vaccine production, orthopaedic surgery, etc. One of the first commercial opportunities to be explored is that of licensing vaccine manufacturers. A scientific article is to be submitted shortly for publication.

Radical Waters, under the auspices of the MRC (Medical Research Council), has begun tests on the treatment of TB. Tests conducted on animals for various lung and respiratory diseases have produced very positive results. Another opportunity in the respiratory field to be explored is that of the treatment of cystic fibrosis.

A test on the potential of the above application will soon be carried out at Tygerberg Hospital (University of Stellenbosch medical hospital). The results are expected by the end of November. The application opportunities in the respiratory field are potentially revolutionary and extremely valuable.

A well-known hospital recently applied our solutions to a dying patient. The patient had contracted pneumonia and cellulitus as a complication and had been in intensive care for 10 days. Anolyte, in a 25% dilution was added to the water through which the oxygen is ventilated. The patient’s oxygen demand fell from 8 litres per minute to 1 litre per minute within 45 minutes. His lung utilisation increased from 74% to 92%. The patient’s pneumonia was effectively cured, astounding the nursing staff and specialists at the hospital. The medical implications are far reaching. The next step is to carry out a few more antidote tests, file the necessary patents and then explore licensing opportunities.

The more valuable an application, the earlier in the development process one can license and “shed” the costly development process to existing medical and pharmaceutical institutions.

A leading urologist has successfully treated and cured five patients of a chronic form of incurable/resistant cystitis with remarkable results. These are patients that have suffered from this ailment and lived on anti-biotics for in excess of 15 years. There are 450,000 recorded suffers in the USA alone. This market is worth well in excess of $450,000,000. The next step is to continue testing and to begin exploring licensing opportunities in the international market.

SFR, a company based in Midrand which manufacturer’s intra-venous (IV) drips for the medical market, has been testing our ECA solutions in their IV plant for about 6 months with great success. Mr. Henk van Wyk, a well-known researcher with 22 years experience with Baxter, has led the testing. Testing began on the decontamination capabilities of the solutions on the incoming water used in the drips. The problem is that these companies have to be extremely careful of bacterial as well as chemical contamination. The results are very impressive, with Anolyte not only decontaminating the water supply at extremely low dosage rates (1:3000) but it is also eliminating the bacterial bio-film within their production systems. This can be clearly seen in the filter systems, which now remain free of bio-film and last much longer. Tests are being expanded with the aim of using Anolyte as a cold sterilant in the production process. This has major implications for this industry internationally and licensing opportunities will soon be explored.

In the mining industry, a number of major health risks is prevalent. A survey taken of a full shift of workers at a mine in SA revealed a TB and Aids incident rate of 100%.

Other health issues, for example, include the high incidence of “athlete’s foot” which results from the long hours of working in gumboots in wet and hot underground conditions. This problem translates into huge losses of man-hours to the mining industry. One mine estimated this loss at R68 per miner per month. Radical Waters has been approached by a mining house to look at solving this problem. ECA solutions have proven very effective against “athletes foot” and a number of other dermatological ailments. We foresee the installation of ECA units at mine hostels where activated solutions are made accessible to miners to disinfect their gumboots and to treat their feet.

Two clinics in Johannesburg have been testing ECA on topical, dermatological and other related medical applications for the past three months producing some very interesting and exciting results.

In conjunction with Prof. Harry Seftel, a highly respected medical scientist in SA, testing has begun at Baragwanath Hospital on anti-biotic resistant burn wounds, a major problem in hospitals today.

Radical Waters is testing but a few of the enormous range of potential medical applications for this technology.


3. ANIMAL HUSBANDRY - VETERINARY

The use of ECA solutions in animal husbandry is another successful application with tremendous market potential. Through a fogging system Radical Waters has successfully eliminated the use of anti-biotic and growth stimulants in the raising of pigs.

The use of anti-biotics and growth hormones is becoming a major international health issue (see newspapers articles). Anti-biotic residue in the meat we eat is one of the major causes of resistant and immune diseases and illnesses threatening mankind. People are dying every day at an alarming rate from these ever increasing resistant strains. For example, resistant strains of pneumonia world-wide have increased from 1% to 9% over the past 10 years.

In excess of 27 000 tonnes of anti-biotics are manufactured annually, of which 90% is used to the feed animals humans consume. Currently in SA, in excess of 70% of the pork slaughtered has anti-biotic residue. In Europe, a total ban on the use of anti-biotics in animal feed has recently been tabled.

In extensive tests conducted, the total elimination of anti-biotics and growth stimulants was achieved with the same production parameters achieved using anti-biotics and growth hormones. This has significantly positive health benefits for man as well as economic implications for this industry.

Initial indications from scientific analysis conducted on the meat appear to indicate a superior quality with the treated group.

We have just begun commercialisation in SA in the pig producing industry.

One of the farmers on whose farm one of the trials was conducted, and who owns his own pork abattoir, was so impressed with the results and the market potential of anti-biotic and hormone free pork that he has approached Radical Waters to facilitate the conversion of his whole slaughter production to residue free by June 2000. This farmer, Dr. Wantie Burger, is a qualified veterinarian. His slaughter production consists of 14 independent pork farmers who supply his abattoir. He made an independent presentation to his suppliers urging each of them to sign contracts with Radical Waters. The objective is to convert his abattoir into the first pork abattoir in the world supplying and guaranteeing residue free pork to the consumer. Based on this concept, he has secured 7 large supply contract’s to different retail chains. Amongst them, Woolworth’s, who at this early stage is prepared to pay a 10% premium for residue free pork. The consumers in the UK are prepared to pay a 20% premium. The export potential is obvious. Joint web sites and the formulation of a marketing strategy and plan will be carried out with this abattoir to increase consumer awareness and demand for residue free pork. This, as a market reference point, will be invaluable to our international marketing endeavours.


Radical Waters has just returned from a visit to Farm Energy (Power suppliers), the SA Agrilek equivalent in the UK, who are distributors of technology in the agriculture markets of both the UK and Europe. Farm Energy will be carrying out the necessary international verification testing and has indicated an interest in some form of commercial partnership to distribute our technology into the European and UK agricultural markets.

The potential for this technology in this industry cannot be underestimated.

Poultry
Radical Waters has conducted tests on live chickens, where the mortality on a test group of 12000 chickens were reduced by in excess of 50%. A more comprehensive testing program is now to be conducted with Rainbow Chickens, South Africa’s largest poultry producer.

Tests conducted by fogging/misting eggs in a hatchery resulted not only in the effective decontamination of the eggs, but also in a 3% increase in the hatch rate. In a standard Rainbow hatchery, this means an improved hatching of around 190,000 eggs per month.

Radical Waters has negotiated a strategic alliance with Avimune, a company consisting of a group of poultry vets specialising in poultry production. Avimune will, in future, be leading the research and development in poultry production applications.

5. WATER TREATMENT

Potable Water
Our ECA technology is particularly effective in the decontamination of potable water. By using Anolyte in dilution rates of 1:250 to 1:2000 our technology can effectively decontaminate large volumes of potable water.

WHO (World Health Organisation) claims that 50% of the world’s infant mortality is caused by water-borne bacteria and that 30 000 people die every day from contaminated water.

Water is fast becoming the world’s scarcest resource. The contamination of water is an issue of international concern. Radical Waters has received numerous enquiries from African countries such as Tanzania for technology to treat potable water.

In Johannesburg, a marked deterioration of our water resources over the past two to three years, both in the rivers and our municipal supply is clearly evident. In numerous bacterial tests conducted on municipal water, Radical Waters has been shocked at the levels of contamination. In a number of the tests even E-Coli (bacteria from faeces) has been found in the municipal water.

A JSE listed company has approached radical Waters to joint venture large water treatment systems targeted at municipal water treatment systems.

The capability of this technology to effectively eliminate bacterial bio-film is a huge advantage. The re-contamination ability of bacterial bio-film is an issue that has been underestimated and has only been acknowledged by scientists over the past few years. The cost of corrosion as a result of bio-film is estimated at 3% of a nations GDP. That means a cost of R1,6 billion to the SA economy.

The decontamination of water and elimination of biofilm, as an input to processes (e.g. food processing), is a very large market.

A market survey of the SA processing industry is to be conducted to establish the level of awareness and receptiveness of our ECA technology for the treatment and decontamination of supply water and the elimination of bio-film in process plants.

6. FOOD SAFETY AND PROCESSING

Food safety is becoming an increasingly important issue internationally.

In December 1998, Sara Lee, a high-profile packaged-meats manufacturer in the USA, was forced to engage in a major recall of packaged meats and hot dogs. According to a Wall Street Journal this contamination has killed 11 people and caused three women to suffer miscarriages, all because of listeria (bacterial contamination). The Sara Lee recall has cost the company $75 million, not including the cost of the anticipated lawsuits.

The contamination of food is not only a safety issue but also one of economics, in that contamination reduces the shelf life of a product and thus affects the viability of food processers.

Our technology, which has been approved by the SA Dept. of Health for the use on foodstuffs, has numerous fields of application in food processing plants to reduce the level of contamination.

Our experience has shown that one of the biggest problems facing food processing plants and the catering industry is the bacterial contamination of the incoming water which is used in processing food, to wash hands, equipment, utensils, floors, etc. The contaminated incoming water, in effect compounds the normal contamination problems experienced by these plants. Whatever they wash with this water becomes further contaminated.

Radical Waters successfully installed and tested its first ECA unit at a food processing plant to treat the incoming water. The contamination levels were reduced from TNTC to 0 – 10 CFU/ml.

Another problem related to the contamination of water is that of bacterial bio-film, as with the bio-film in the irrigation lines in dental units. Contaminated water results in the build up of a bacterial slime layer (bio-film) on the inside of the water pipe. Even if one had to run sterile water through these pipes, this bacterial bio-film would re-contaminate the water. This, in effect, means that the bacteria bio-film in these pipe systems has first to be eliminated before one can effectively decontaminate the water supply. Radical Waters foresees the flushing out and elimination of bio-film in water supply systems, using a safe, “non-chemical” solution, and the provision of decontaminated water to food processing plants and catering enterprises as a large and potentially very lucrative business opportunity.

The use of chemicals in CIP and COP applications is a major concern to the food processing industry, not only because of the threat and hazardous nature of the chemicals often used, but also because of the polluting effect of the waste streams.

The company, in conjunction with Prof. Eugene Cloete, a well-known microbiologist and a specialist in the food processing industry from the University of Pretoria, has been testing our technology for application in: -

• Dairies – by adding a small dose of Anolyte in bulk milk holding tanks, the disinfection capability was increased from 80% to 93%.

• Chicken abattoirs – the use of ECA has been successfully tested on various critical points throughout the poultry slaughter process.

• Brewery pasteurising plants.

The on site testing results have been excellent, highlighting the potential for this technology in the food industry. Based on Prof. Cloete’s recommendation to a number of large companies in SA, ECA units are to be installed for testing in: -

• Clover – the largest dairy company in SA,
• Famous Brands - Sauce processing plant,
• Festive Chicken – a large poultry abattoir in SA, and
• Sea Harvest – a large fishing company in SA (see fishing).

Catholyte, being a strong anti-oxidant, has applications in various food processes such as preventing oxidation and increasing the shelf life extension of fruit and vegetables such as potatoes, apples, and avocado’s. Other examples of applications include juices, chips, canning, pre-processing, fish and meat. In vitro tests have shown that Catholyte effectively prevents the browning of potato chips in dilution rates of 1:100. A test site has been identified for test purposes with an international company.

An ECA system will be installed at one of Delmonte’s (a large international fruit packaging company) plants in the Cape in November for the treatment of their fruit in the packaging process.

Capability of remote monitoring and controlling is being built into our on-site technology whereby the ECA systems in the market can be continuously monitored by means of computer systems, similar to that of vehicle tracking systems. These vehicle tracking systems monitor the position of a vehicle on a map to within 10 meters of its position and where the status of the vehicle in terms of the drivers position, revs, fuel consumption, etc. are monitored. Radical Waters foresees, using the same scenario with its technology where the status of a device and system can be continuously monitored anywhere in the world and down time guarantees given, etc. This not only adds additional value and differentiates the technology further, but also places the service provided to the market into a new dimension where the decontamination function of food processing plants can then be offered as a full service to this high value industry.

In follow up tests carried out on marine bio-film, field tests are to be carried out to decontaminate and eliminate bio-film contamination in the hulls of fishing vessels. Numerous other applications, such as the decontamination of large wine and liquor vats, exist in the market.

7. THE MEAT INDUSTRY

Abattoirs and Meat Processing Plants
Radical Waters has developed a fogging/misting system for the effective decontamination of meat carcasses in meat processing plants. The level of decontamination achieved so far can be translated into as much as a two to three week shelf life extension of meat carcasses. This has major implications for the meat industry.

Independent tests have shown that a fogging system reduces the weight loss on carcasses by as much as 1.5%. This directly affects the abattoirs’ profit margin giving our technology an additional competitive advantage.

Other applications of significance in the meat industry include: -
• The treatment and shelf life extension of offal products, a major food source in Africa;

• The treatment and decontamination of sausage casings. Radical Waters has been contacted by a company from Texas in the USA, enquiring about the decontamination of natural casings.

A market survey of the SA meat industry has been initiated as a first step to the formulation of its marketing strategy and marketing plan for the exploitation of ECA into the SA meat industry.

The company plans to install ECA systems at three profile abattoirs to be used as market reference points by the end of August. The first two of these are Linka Pork Abattoir and Karan Beef.

A meeting has been set up with Dr. Steven Neel, a well known meat expert in the USA, to strategize the commercialisation of this application into the US meat market

The value of the various meat packaging markets world wide was estimated in 1997 at: -

Worldwide USA
Beef $287 billion, $61,4 billion
Poultry $63,9 billion $20,3 billion
Pork $100 billion. $10,5 billion


An independent market survey of the US meat market has shown that this market is prepared to pay US 1,5c/lb for the effective de-contamination of carcasses. This translates into an annual market value of $1,6 billion for the US market

8. FISHING INDUSTRY

Excellent results have been obtained by FIRI (Fish Research Institute) using activated water, not only to decontaminate the fish products in the various stages of harvesting and processing, but also to extend the shelf life. The latest results showed an effective shelf life extension from 9 to 15 days – which is unheard of in this industry. The potential of using iced Anolyte in large volumes on the fishing vessels out at sea as an initial decontaminate, as well as using a fogging system to decontaminate the holding vessels to kill the bio-film and reduce the recontamination levels are additional commercial opportunities to be exploited.

“This technology will revolutionise the fresh fish industry world wide” – FIRI (CSIR).

The international fresh fish market is huge. A marketing strategy and marketing plan is now to be formulated.

Sea Harvest has shown interest in the technology. A test site at one of their large factories in Saldanha Bay is operational .