On November 3, 2021 at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, the National Energy Technology Center (ENTEC) had delivered 100 sets of “ENERclean” to support the “MHESImadeussurvive” project to cope with COVID-19. The event was presided over by Asst. Prof. Dr. Duangrit Benjathikul Chairungrueng, Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, and Dr. Sumittra Chairojrochkul, Director of Energy Innovation Research Group of ENTEC, together with Dr. Somsak Supasitmongkol, Researcher, and his research team.
Dr. Sumittra Chairojrochkul, Director of Energy Innovation Research Group of ENTEC, said that “ENERclean” is an innovative product derived from the prototype of a disinfectant generator with electrolyzed water. The ENERclean technology was developed by Dr. Somsak Supasitmongkol, Researcher, and Clean Fuel Technology and Advanced Chemistry Research Team, together with Dr. Thaneeya Roytrakul, Researcher, and Molecular Biology of Dengue and Flaviviruses Research Team, and Dr. Sittiruk Roytrakul, Researcher, and Miss Pattiya Laksanacharoen, Lab Assistant of Functional Proteomic Technology Research Team of the National Center For Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC). Funding for the project is provided by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) to promote and build capacity for the public health and hospitals in remote areas to be able to produce disinfectant for in-house usage. The disinfectant generator can produce ENERclean that contains hypochlorous acid (HOCI) as the main component with a pH level of pH4-6. The precursors are natural substances with non-alcohol and non-toxic chemicals. ENERclean can be used in the medical and food industry. It efficiently inhibits and kills bacteria, as well as inhabits the Dengue virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, Zika virus, and the Coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2). ENERclean has passed the tests specified in the standards of disinfecting products (AOAC 955.14, 955.15, 955.17, and 964.02) conforming to the Food and Drug Administration announcement.
Dr. Sumittra remarked that infectious diseases create many medical and public health problems due to the difficulty in management and prevention controls, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak, which has become an emerging infectious disease that can be transmitted from person to person very quickly through the respiratory tract, air, and close-contact. Therefore, the use of highly effective disinfectants for surfaces that are likely to be touched by patients and medical personnel, as well as crowded areas, is one of the most important approaches to help prevent and control the spread of germs and infections. According to today’s delivery of an ENERclean to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation to cope with COVID-19, ENTEC also has a production planning of the electrolyzed water disinfectant genertor and ENERclean in order to convey and deliver to various hospitals in other regions across the country.
