The project was launched by Moravian-Silesian Region in cooperation with the company NanoZone, Czech Railways and Ostrava Health Institute. The goal is to reduce the risk of transmitting the disease by touching possibly contaminated surfaces in public transport and, in order to do so, NanoZone, the company from Ostrava city, will apply the new TiZonic sanitary nanotechnology in 10 selected trains. TiZonic is an innovative technology containing TiO2 nanoparticles that function on the principle of photocatalysis and can eliminate the risk of transmitting infectious disease with immediate effect for the period of at least three years.
Moravian-Silesian Region prepared this project even before COVID-19 outbreak as a possible prevention against transmitting diseases in public transport, but the pandemic pressured region officials to launch the test phase sooner than originally planned.
NanoZone will treat 10 trains selected by the region officials and Czech Railways with the nanotechnology and, subsequently, Ostrava Health Institute will collect and evaluate samples at regular intervals during the period of one year and compare them with samples taken from trains that have been disinfected by conventional methods. The Moravian-Silesian Region is the project guarantor, coordinator and fully finances it. Total costs will be approximately 2 million Czech crowns.
The effectiveness of this nanotechnology has been tested in practice abroad and has also been tested in some facilities of Moravian-Silesian Region - in six hospitals, ambulances, municipal police and police cars, dozens of kindergartens, and most recently at the Ostrava Leoš Janáček Airport. Moravian-Silesian Region is the first region in the Czech Republic that will test the nanotechnology on trains.
"Based on the results of hundreds of measurements of hygienic cleanliness of treated surfaces, the technology has been proven to be effective up to 80%. It is a new unique feature of passive protection against infections and viruses, which is highly effective. It is a long-term preventive precaution which can protect citizens not only now, but even for several years. The project is definitely a good investment for the future," said Jaromír Hanačík, Managing Director of NanoZone company.