Ultrasonic eradication of insect larvae in water for preventing the spread of vector-borne diseases
This technology is a method for depleting organisms, such as mosquitos, from water by ensonifying the container of water with low intensity sound at one or more ultrasound frequencies.
Unmet Need: Clean water sources and mitigation of mosquito-borne diseases
Antropophilic mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti, the principal vector of dengue viruses, use man-made water containers around households as breeding sites. These still water containers provide ideal locations for the mosquito larvae, and their location in the vicinity of humans greatly helps the newly hatched mosquitoes to quickly find hosts and spread vector-borne diseases, such as dengue or malaria, in an explosive manner. The regular treatment or cleaning of such containers is laborious, may involve toxic chemicals, and is often omitted especially if the water is intended for drinking. With a substantial number of containers used for water, there is an increasing need for methods to effectively keep these containers clean to eradicate mosquito-transmitted diseases.
The Technology: Simple and effective removal of organisms from water
This technology uses acoustic waves generated by an ultrasound transducer to destroy insect larvae that exist within standing water sources. The reusable, low-cost device can be placed directly in the water, and has been shown to be highly effective at killing mosquito larvae and potentially other troublesome biological agents. This device could be implemented as a permanent fixture in water storage tanks, or alternatively could be used as an “on-the-go” disease prevention in water drawn from remote sources. Furthermore, this system requires very little upkeep and can be programmed to run automatically, minimizing the need for human inspection and maintenance.
This technology has been validated with a prototype that achieved 94% eradication of mosquito larvae after 60 seconds of ultrasound exposure.
Applications:
- Malaria and dengue prevention in populated areas near standing water sources
- Elimination of mosquito larvae and pest control in puddles, pools, and water containers
- Portable water purification system
- Pool sterilization
Advantages:
- Quickly and efficiently cleans water sources
- Low-cost
- Can be placed permanently in water containers for automated cleaning
- Highly portable for cleaning water containers or puddles
- Poses no health risk to humans and other animals
- Environmentally-friendly
- Requires little energy
- Can be solar or battery powered
- Can accommodate water sources of various sizes
Lead Inventor:
Patent Information:
Tech Ventures Reference:
IR CU12086
Licensing Contact: Greg Maskel