Public Funding for Maggrow U.K. Limited

From time-to-time a technology comes along that offers potential for significant change and disruptive economic benefit, CDs and smart-phones being cases in point. More modest, but never-the-less significant is the emergent technology based on ultra-fine bubbles (UFBs), also known as nanobubbles. These UFBs are less than a millionth or so of a centimetre in diameter (1000 times smaller than the width of a human hair), which in their stabilised form exhibit a range of remarkable properties, notably their longevity (the period of time they remain as bubbles), and importantly their capability for carrying, in aqueous media, gases of various kinds and bubble surface adherents. As a consequence, they are already realising ground-breaking applications in many aligned industries, including, cleansing-sterilisation, oil, gas, and mineral extraction processes, pharmaceutical, food-flavouring and cosmetic industry, with in-roads into medicine and cancer treatment; each with, or the potential for, £multi-million market values. That versatility in UFB properties, together with advances in UFB research are pointing to significant potential for purposely incorporating appropriately characterised bubbles into agricultural aqueous media, for spraying and irrigation purposes, and with a view to achieving more effective reductions in inputs (water, chemicals, etc.) more effective coverage, water usage, delivery of crop nutrients, pest-control agents and agents for control of plant diseases. The aim of this project is to establish the feasibility of integrating UFB and proven magnetic-assist technology in a generic platform that can be used to specify a wide-ranging modalities and applications, and the basis for new, economically viable and environmentally-friendly products and services. A successful outcome can also mean a significant step towards new UK enterprise and new employment opportunities. Appropriately managed the outcome can turn the £0.25million investment into a rolling agenda for enterprise, conceivably capable of achieving a 100-fold return-on-the investment within five years. The need for greater productivity in agriculture to meet food security challenge is without question, as is the need to do so with regard to environmental protection and climate change. UFB technology has the potential as a technological platform to contribute significantly to meeting these demands. But the benefits do not end there, effective land use and land reclamation are significant considerations in meeting the challenge, as are other planetary boundaries, including, emissions and climate change impact, land and water usage, bio-geo chemical flows and biodiversity.The risk in the investment is modest, the potential for substantive returns for the UK is enormous.

During the current Covid-19 pandemic there has naturally been a significant increase in the use of disinfectant products for surface decontamination, culminating in significant associated costs whenever attempting to cover large surfaces and with frequent repeated applications. Recognising too that coronaviruses, including Covid-19, can remain infectious for days or even longer in sewage and drinking water, needs can be seen in tackling both water treatment and complementary disinfection problems. While it can be argued that dilute bleach or soapy-water are all that is needed, particularly in a domestic situation, for treating contaminated surfaces, there are situations in which these agents are inappropriate, notably in washing fresh produce, including fruit, vegetables and fresh meat. Moreover, concerns can be encountered in handling bleach even in dilute solutions, requiring in the process of using them, the need to wipe following application to remove bleach residues. While alcohol-based sprays and wipes have a role in disinfection, they too are not appropriate to all situations. A water-based alternative, or complement, to even bleach and soap-based chemical agents, would be a welcome addition to the armoury of solutions for combating virus, and other pathogen-based infections. Just such an approach is provided by a category of nanobubbles that contain activated oxygen as the agency for killing bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, and result in residue free water and the release of oxygen! The nanobubbles concerned are very small bubbles of gas, typically well below a thousandth of a millimetre in diameter (the thickness of a thick human hair is about a tenth of a millimetre), allowing large numbers to be accommodated in a small volume of water. Ozone is currently attracting attention as an effective alternative antiseptic, characterised by its strong antimicrobial action upon bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. Ozonated water has been used for such purposes, but the dissolved gas quickly dissociating into oxygen and reducing potency to no more than 5 to 10 minutes. Water containing ozone-nanobubbles on the other hand, dramatically changes the potency to periods extending to days and even months. The aim of the project is to produce a versatile system demonstrator that can be directed at a range of applications by simply changing the formulation and delivery mode of the activated nanobubble-water, initially directed at domestic uses for surface disinfecting and washing of fresh produce, and following on with wider health-care applications in the fight to combat the Covid-19 virus.