Delhi citizens can now buy an inexpensive air filter that fits in your nose

By Tanvi Patel

January 2, 2018

The product guarantees filtering out PM 2.5 and PM 10 particulate matters.

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The air quality in Delhi has touched the ‘severe’ level, and breathing has become a tough task for residents of the capital. Particulate matters entering the respiratory system have caused grave health problems to the citizens. While stepping outdoors is inevitable for many citizens, masks have become insufficient to protect them from the rising pollution levels.

Researchers in IIT-Delhi and Nanoclean Global have a solution for this issue. They have partnered to design a tiny respiratory filter, which fits in the nostrils!

The product is called Nasofilter and has been designed to filter out PM 10 and PM 2.5 particulate matters and reduce the risk of respiratory diseases.

It will be sold at the cost of Rs 10, and thus can be used by everyone.

A team member shows a boy how to use the nasofilter. Source: Facebook.

The team of developers includes Prateek Sharma, IIT- Delhi faculty members Manjeet Jassal and Ashwini K Agrawal, alumni Sanjeev Jain and Tushar Vyas, and a student, Jatin Kewlani.

Prateek Sharma, CEO of Nanoclean Global Private Ltd told The Indian Express, “These filters stick to the user’s nasal orifice and restrict foreign particulate matter from entering the body. It is a use-and-throw biodegradable product, which is highly efficient in restricting particulate matter, and at the same time gives minimal pressure drop, which makes it unique. The cost of the product is low; hence it can be used by the masses.”

The product lasts between 8 to 10 hours. It is expected to filter out PM 10 particles by 100 percent and PM 2.5 particles by 95 percent.

Nasofilters will initially be sold online on their website but eventually will be available in retail stores too.

“From tomorrow (January 3, 2018), the filters will be available on our website. After a few days, we will make them available on all recognised e-commerce websites, and finally in retail shops. We hope to start its physical sale in January. It would initially come in a box of 10 nasofilters, and subsequently, we will also introduce a box of 30,” said Sharma.

The product was awarded the “Startup National Award,” 2017 by ex-President Pranab Mukherjee. It has also been recognised by the South Korean Government as one of the “Top 50 Technical start-ups in the world.”