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ambulance

Israeli ambulances get outfitted with IN-EX filtration units to provide protection against viruses.

By Abigail Klein Leichman, Israel21c

Ambulances throughout Israel are getting outfitted with an easy-to-install cabin air filter that transforms the vehicle’s air conditioning unit into an active air purifier.

The medical-grade IN-EX filtration units were donated by AVVIR, the innovation division of advanced filtration solution provider A.L. Group, to Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s national emergency response organization.

The filter’s safety and benefits were approved by Dr. Eitan Israeli, CEO of the Israeli Biohazard Institute.

IN-EX was jointly developed with Bar-Ilan University scientists Aharon Gedanken and Ilana Perelshtein using a unique patented technology that initiates a chemical reaction with ultrasonic energy. (Gedanken and Perelshtein also invented the nanotechnology behind pathogen-killing facemasks from Sonovia.)

Tested in third-party laboratories, this technology has proven to be 99.15 percent effective against coronavirus, influenza, and other airborne viruses and was included in the 2021 Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry by the International Union of Pure Applied Chemistry.

The water-resistant filter is made of natural eco-friendly materials and does not require a power source. It can be combined with additional filters, such as carbon or HEPA, to create a multifunctional cabin filter.

It also provides an additional side benefit of neutralizing bad odors caused by bacterial growth in the A/C unit.

“We’re really pleased to be joining forces with one of Israel’s most important organizations,” said Miri Kaufman from AVVIR (which also is the Hebrew word for “air”).

“Ambulances and emergency services are a crucial function for any country today, and being able to properly safeguard them from Covid-19 means first responders can do their job safer and with less impediments, while patients can be tended to quicker and more effectively.”

The Ashdod-headquartered A.L. Group, founded in 1965, has a global presence in Europe, North America and Asia, with 1,350 employees and over 4,000 filtration products.