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Aircraft inflight air freshener GK-GermKiller® GK Air™ proves >99.9% effective in inactivating the SARS-CoV-2 virus

GermKiller GK Air™ tested and proven effective against SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19)

GermKiller GK Air™ Effective against SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19)

Testing based on US EPA product performance test guidelines for virucides confirms GK Air™ Disinfectant exhibit efficacy in breaking chain of COVID-19 infection

SINGAPORE, January 26, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Vance Chemicals Pte. Ltd. (“Vance Chemicals”) announces today that its disinfectant air freshener spray, GK-GermKiller® GK Air™ (“GK Air™”), has been scientifically proven to be >99.9% effective in inactivating the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (“SARS-CoV-2”) on hard, non-porous surfaces. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes the respiratory illness responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic [1].

GK Air™ began as an inflight disinfectant air freshener. It was specifically formulated to meet the requirements of the Singapore Airlines Group for an aircraft inflight disinfectant that is efficacious, safe and refreshing. It is now an integral part of the Singapore Airlines Group’s aircraft cleaning and disinfection protocol [2]. Singapore Airlines was recently awarded the highest “diamond” rating for reaching "hospital-grade level health safety" by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX)[3]. GK Air™ is also used by other airlines and in hygiene-sensitive environments such as childcare centres across Singapore.

In order to ensure that GK Air™ would be suitable as an inflight disinfectant (i.e. suitable for use within an enclosed space), it was important that GK Air™ did not pose any inhalation risks. In this regard, GK Air™ has been classified as Category 5 based on the Globally Harmonised System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals using the OECD guideline 403[4] for acute inhalation toxicity assessment. In short, GK Air™ is as safe as, or even safer than most air fresheners found on supermarket shelves. It has also been tested for acute toxicity, irritation, and sensitisation based on OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals [5] and was deemed safe for daily use around humans and animals alike, on various surfaces, materials and the environment when the directions for use are followed.

SARS-CoV-2 can survive on surfaces ranging from a few hours to 28 days, depending on the type of surface and the temperature of the environment [6]. It is mainly transmitted via respiratory droplets and aerosols from infected persons when they sneeze, cough, speak or breathe, especially when in close proximity with others. Besides direct transmission, infectious droplets landing on surfaces that others touch can cause indirect transmission [7]. Frequent hand-washing and disinfecting high-touch surfaces are therefore important. With its ready-to-use spray formula, GK Air™ provides a high degree of certainty in breaking the chain of transmission for COVID-19 via contaminated surfaces especially in high human traffic, hygiene-sensitive and enclosed environments.

Vance Chemicals subjected GK Air™ for testing against an actual SARS-CoV-2 strain identified as “Isolate USA-WA1/2020”1. The “Isolate USA-WA1/2020” strain was isolated from an oropharyngeal swab of a COVID-19 patient in the USA. To ensure the testing adhered to internationally-accepted protocols, the US EPA product performance test guideline ASTM E10532 - Standard Practice to Assess Virucidal Activity of Chemicals Intended for Disinfection of Inanimate, Nonporous Environmental Surfaces, was implemented by a certified US laboratory[8]. GK Air™ is also tested effective >99.9% against Influenza A (H1N1) and up to 99.99999% effective against most harmful bacteria.

“GK Air™ was originally formulated for inflight use, but now, it is made available to all consumers on the ground too. We have strived to make it suitable and effective even as a daily-use disinfectant air freshener that is economical and can be used practically everywhere,” says Ms Swee Cheng Lim, Sales Manager of Vance Chemicals.

Vance Chemicals’ R&D and manufacturing are all located in Singapore and all GK-GermKiller® products are tested using international protocols by leading independent local and international laboratories. Other GK-GermKiller® products, GK Concentrate™ and GK Surface™ have also been tested and proven effective against SARS-CoV-2.

More product information can be found at gk-germkiller.com.


References:
[1] "The species Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus: classifying 2019-nCoV and naming it SARS-CoV-2". Nature Microbiology, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7095448/
[2] “Singapore Airlines steps up cleaning of aircraft amid COVID-19 outbreak”, https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid19-sia-steps-up-aircraft-cleaning-travel-coronavirus-12457756, see photo captioned “Minister of Transport Khaw Boon Wan and Senior Minister of State Lam Pin Min try out disinfectants used on board the aircraft. (Photo: Jeremy Long)”
[3] “Singapore Airlines receives highest rating for 'hospital-grade' health and safety in global audit”, Channel News Asia, https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singapore-airlines-sia-health-safety-diamond-rating-covid-19-13991930
[4] “Test No. 403: Acute Inhalation Toxicity”, https://www.oecd.org/env/test-no-403-acute-inhalation-toxicity-9789264070608-en.htm
[5] “OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals”, OECDiLibrary, https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/environment/oecd-guidelines-for-the-testing-of-chemicals_72d77764-en
[6] “The effect of temperature on persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on common surfaces”, Shane Riddell, et. al., Virology Journal, DOI, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-020-01418-7
[7] “How does COVID-19 spread between people”, World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-how-is-it-transmitted
[8] Product Performance Test Guideline, OCSPP 810.2200, Disinfectants for Use on Environmental Surfaces, Guidance for Efficacy Testing, [EPA 712-C-17-004], https://beta.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPPT-2009-0150-0036

Lim Swee Cheng
Vance Chemicals Pte Ltd
+65 6863 0863
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