LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — When Dr. Daniel Mongiardo fully opened his otolaryngology practice in Lexington on Monday, as many across the Bluegrass have been permitted to do by Gov. Andy Beshear, patients were greeted with a new ionized air purification system.
In a Zoom interview Monday, Dr. Mongiardo told LEX18 that the system, created by Extreme Microbial Technologies in Dayton, Ohio, uses ionized hydrogen peroxide to kill viruses, bacteria and other contaminants.
"It may not be the silver bullet but it certainly is pretty shiny," Dr. Mongiardo.
He said the system was installed to help his patients be safer and feel safer coming to his practice amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"To my knowledge the coronavirus has not been tested yet with this system, but it does have an envelope just like H1N1, so we do believe it should work on the coronavirus like it does on H1N1," Mongiardo said.
While researching the system, Mongiardo said he originally had concerns about the safety of the technology, but he said those fears were quickly alleviated.
"Hydrogen peroxide, at the levels that this thing puts out, is safe," Mongiardo said. "That has been studied for an extended period of time."
Mongiardo added that he even plans to install a system in his home and suggests schools start doing so as well.
Currently, Mongiardo's Lexington office has one system in the waiting room. He said his three other offices will add a system in each of their waiting rooms this week.
Later, he said he plans to add more in spaces where two or more people congregate: the lab, break room and exam rooms. He said his free-standing system cost about $1,400, and it requires $500 in maintenance every couple of years. He said he will take on the cost of the systems, and it won't be passed onto his patients.
