HEPA Filters in Demand

DULUTH, Ga-Officials at Abatement Technologies are reporting a significant increase in the demand for their HEPA-Care isolation room products since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11.

The HEPA filtration system for hospital isolation room and other applications are used by more than 1,000 healthcare facilities in North America. The TB filtration systems may also help prevent the spread of bioterrorism-aimed pathogens within a facility.

David Willyard, vice president of sales at Abatement, said that the demand for filter products has been extremely strong and that their product may help prevent the spread of anthrax.

"The similarities between TB and anthrax are very striking from an air filtration perspective: Both are rod-shaped, gram positive bacteria, with a typical size of 2-5 microns. The gel-seal HEPA filters used in our systems are individually tested and certified to a minimum filtration efficiency of 99.99% at 0.3 micron. We believe that these filters can effectively capture anthrax spores," he said.