Portable On-Site Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl) Generator Using Natural Ingredients

Having experienced shortages in cleaning and disinfecting supplies during the pandemic made the community seek for alternatives. This paper presents a device that can provide a natural and convenient alternative to off-the-shelf disinfectants by using natural ingredients. It is a portable disinfectant generator that uses raw materials - water, salt, and vinegar to produce a cost-effective solution, hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a non-toxic, non-irritating, and effective disinfecting solution that can be applied from the body to surfaces, equipment, and materials, playing a pivotal role in the new normal. The HOCl chemical formulation using electrolysis and the three raw materials, was tested, and is shown that the solution can be generated within a few minutes. The proposed device is mainly composed of an electrolysis tank, a magnetic stirrer, a pump, a filter, and a main controller. This device can generate up to four different levels of HOCl concentration that can be used in various cleaning applications such as wound care, skin sanitation, and surface disinfection. The device and its generated solution of HOCl are tested by a credited hospital laboratory in its different hospital locations such as intensive care units and wards. The solution was certified as effective for safe disinfection and sanitation, especially against bacteria found in a common hospital setting including E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus.