The ultimate in Safe, Effective, and Persistent Anti-Microbial Protection from COVID-19 and beyond.
Founded in 2014, Asurface is a Woman-Owned Small Business (Wash DC Hubzone) distributing architectural surface products, personal protection equipment, disinfecting supplies and electrostatic spraying devices. Asurface is currently engaged with local, state, and federal agencies supplying solutions for the COVID-19 crisis.
ALEST was conceived while disinfecting first responder facilities in our nation’s capitol. While providing this 24-hour “on call” emergency response, we realized that there must be a faster, more efficient and effective process. We consulted leaders from the agricultural industry and creators of electrostatic components to help create ALEST for large scale applications.
Electrostatic is the process of adding an electric charge to a liquid EPA approved decontamination solution then being sprayed onto surfaces and objects. The process uses forced air through a specially designed nozzle, combining it with an electrode at the nozzle as the particles are atomized. This results in positively charged particles that adhere to surfaces and objects. Because the particles in the spray are positively charged, they cling to and coat all surfaces immediately.
Largescale Electrostatic Systems Technology
The electrostatic spray is electrically charged, allowing sanitizers, mold preventatives and disinfectants to wrap around and evenly coat all types of surfaces.
Disinfecting solutions exiting the electrostatic sprayer receive a positive electrical charge. The droplets become attracted to all negative surfaces, covering the visible area, underside and backside, with the sanitizing agent.
Surfaces already covered will repel the spray, making the method extremely efficient.
Goldshield Technologies add-ons. EPA approved and already in DoD use Surface Antimicrobial Agents. Water-based ready-to-use liquid spray antimicrobial agent proven effective against killing microbes on virtually any surface and most textiles. Applying Goldshield after a disinfectant can provide continuous protection up to 90 days.
We have committed to leveraging our global manufacturing partners to secure valuable PPE for our customers and community. We are here to be a part of your team whether it’s cleaning, building, sanitizing or everyday safety. ALEST proudly offers:
- Dupont Tyvek 400 Hooded suits
- KN95 Respiratory Masks
- EPA approved Neutral Q chemical disinfectant
- Hand sanitizer, booties and eye protection are also available.
What makes ALEST better than other electrostatic sprayers?
ALEST uses similar technology as all the other major electrostatic sprayers; however, the ALEST E10 is designed for use at ranges of 10-20 feet. This capability separates ALEST from every other competitor because it allows spraying large areas such as schools, gyms, arenas, stadiums, and large military aircraft more efficiently.
How long have the owners and contributors to the ALEST business been developing and using electrostatic technology?
The ALEST team consists of a woman-owned D.C. based business who has partnered with the founders of electrostatic technology and business in Texas having a combined 40+ years in the business. They have extensive foundations in government contracting, agriculture spraying and manufacturing of mobile electrostatic decontamination equipment from the original SARS crisis.
What is electrostatic spray technology?
Electrostatic sprayers work by charging the liquid disinfectant as it passes through a nozzle. Per the EPA, positively charged disinfectant droplets are attracted to negatively charged environmental surfaces allowing for improved coverage on hard, non-porous environmental surfaces.
It is important to note that most environmental surfaces have a negative or neutral charge (the earth itself is negative). As such, for true electrostatic adhesion to occur, electrostatic sprayers should impart a positive charge so that the positively charged disinfectant droplets are attracted to targeted negative or neutral surfaces. NOTE: ALEST electrostatic disinfectant sprayers provide a positive charge to droplets. Coulomb’s Law describes that like charges repel each other while unlike charges attract each other. As droplets leave the electrostatic sprayer nozzle, they race to find their oppositely charged surfaces, this causes them to spread out and wrap around three-dimensional objects. Just as the automobile painting industry discovered decades ago, using electrostatic sprayer results in an even coating. This includes hard-to-reach areas typically not touched by manual application.
Which disinfectants do you recommend?
The ALEST electrostatic sprayers can apply any water-soluble chemical with a neutral ph balance. We recommend the use of EPA-registered disinfectant products. A list of EPA registered products that have qualified for use against COVID-19 can be found here. We recommend EPA-approved organic, nontoxic, biodegradable and safe liquid disinfectants and will work with our customers to ensure we have the right product for their environment.
Has the EPA evaluated electrostatic sprayers?
Yes. EPA studies (EPA-600-R-15-279 and USEPA 2015b) show that compared to traditional sprayer systems, an electrostatic spray technology is more efficient, reduces waste, and delivers a more uniform distribution of liquids over uneven surfaces.
How does using an ALEST sprayer save on labor costs as compared to “wipe-and-go” disinfecting method?
Using ALEST sprayers saves labour cost and disinfectant cost because of the reduced manpower and overall time savings. By using ALEST you can cover large areas more effectively in minutes compared to hours of manual labour while using a fraction of the disinfectant.
What is the ALEST sprayer droplet size?
Droplet size is a critical factor. Droplets must be large enough to resist evaporation and drift but small enough that the droplets can change their trajectory when it comes close to an oppositely charged target. Most electrostatic nozzles produce droplets of less than < 40 microns (categorized as Very Fine). Such small droplets increase drift and pose a user safety concern per the EPA. Droplets of < 40 microns have a low terminal velocity causing them to fall slowly. This makes them highly drift-prone, decreasing the results of electrostatic adhesion and increasing user inhalation concerns.
NOTE: ALEST electrostatic disinfectant sprayers produce an average 80-micron droplet size.
Surface Disinfection
Most surface areas are neutral (uncharged) or negative. Electrostatic application for surface disinfection is a method of applying EPA-registered disinfectants to a target surface area by utilizing the electrostatic force of attraction. Simply put, the electrostatic system places an electrical charge on the droplets and disperses them across a target surface area, providing a comprehensive, even coverage. This provides a consistent and uniform coverage in which the droplets adhere to vertical, horizontal and three-dimensional surfaces. As proven in the agriculture and automotive industries, this electrostatic application process takes less time to achieve the desired effect, while substantially reducing chemical costs. (Laryea and No, 2004 and 2005; Matthews, 1992)
Does electrostatically applied disinfectant perform better?
In both third-party testing and real-world settings, clinical studies have shown electrostatic application methodology can provide efficacy and significant improvements within environmental services terminal cleaning procedures. In the American Journal of Infection Control, a study for decontaminating the operating room environment was presented. It was found that using persistent technology with quaternary ammonium and trichloromelamine solution using a 40-micron electrostatic applicator will significantly reduce colony-forming units (CFUs) remaining after standard terminal cleaning (Sutton, 2015). A study performed in the laboratory setting with an 85-micron electrostatic applicator utilizing a hydrogen peroxide and sliver based product for efficacy against S. Aureus, P. Aeruginosa, MRSA, and C. Difficile showed an average of 99.999% reduction of vegetative bacteria (S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and MRSA) and an average 99% reduction of spore-forming bacteria (C. difficile) as labelled on the product for surfaces (Ebron, 2014). Other healthcare system studies have shown a significant decrease in hospital readmission rates, turnaround times for patient discharge/transfer rooms, chemical consumption, and in labor. (Blake G. and Whiteley, B., 2015)
Which disinfectants do you recommend for COVID-19?
We recommend a one-two punch to help fight Covid-19. We first recommend applying our Neutral Q EPA registered disinfectant cleaning solution to kill up to 99% of bacteria and unwanted harmful pathogens on surfaces. We then recommend putting down a protective barrier application of Goldshield. Goldshield is an EPA certified antimicrobial barrier protectant that can last up to 90 days on low use areas. Only Goldshield’s nano-molecular-assembly technology prevents these bacteria from propagating without the flammability. Goldshield provides an invisible, durable micro-biostatic and biocidal finish that protects against bio-deterioration by inhibiting microbial growth thus giving you the confidence to return to your job knowing you are protected.
How often should I clean and disinfect surfaces?
Follow the CDC’s standard procedures for routine cleaning and disinfecting. Typically, this means daily sanitizing surfaces and objects that are touched frequently such as doorknobs, faucets and horizontal surfaces. However, we have found that applying Goldshield reduces the requirement for daily cleaning across the entire facility. The protective shield allows only high use, high touch areas daily cleaning and disinfecting.