YPB Group Limited (ASX:YPB) has developed an ‘evaporating tracer’ that can identify the presence of disinfectant on a surface for five hours after application.
This novel tracer allows a user to confirm that a surface has been disinfected within a fixed time period and easily indicates the need to re-apply disinfectant after the elapse of that time.
The development of the product to trial readiness follows the company’s initial R&D in 2020, leading to the application for a patent with China’s patent authority (SIPO) on December 31, 2020.
This product is now developed for commercial trials, with shipments ready for trial partners in China and Australia.
Certainty of disinfected surface is critical
YPB Group chief executive officer John Houston said: “We are excited that our long history in tracer development could now impact the world in a way that we never envisaged when we commenced our quest to fight counterfeit.
“I believe that the world has changed due to COVID-19 and that the certainty of a disinfected surface has become critical in many more situations than prior to the pandemic.”
Invention
YPB’s invention belongs to the field of sterilisation, in particular to a disinfectant with an indicative tracer function and its application.
This invention adds a luminescent tracer to the disinfectant to confirm whether the environmental surface has been disinfected and whether re-sterilisation is required.
The invention outlined in the patent is universal in nature and when combined with conventionally used disinfection solutions, can easily determine whether regular disinfection is in place and the need for any re-application.
A small inexpensive scanner can be used to identify the need for re-application of the disinfectant.
Initial trials
Initial trials with potential partners are expected before mid-year, initially targeting China and Australia.
Sufficient volume of product for trials is ready to be shipped from the company’s research and development (R&D) hub in Beijing.
YPB Group will update the market on developments as they occur.
Global market
According to a report in PR Newswire, the global antiseptics and disinfectants market is expected to grow from present value by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.8% from 2021 to 2028 to reach USD$105.4 billion by 2028.
History of tracer development
YPB has a long history in the field of tracer development and application, holding several patents in this field.
YPB’s tracers have traditionally been developed for the anti-counterfeit market and this novel application in a tangential opportunity follows market feedback from potential customers.