Cutting environmental footprint by revolutionising anaesthesia capture
Anaesthetic gases like Sevoflurane and Isoflurane are essential to modern surgery, but they present a significant environmental cost. Once vented into the atmosphere through traditional methods, they act as highly potent greenhouse gases — contributing thousands of times more to global warming than carbon dioxide.
To address this, a breakthrough closed-loop capture system was developed – offering an efficient, more sustainable alternative. The system uses silica-based aerogel canisters to absorb anaesthetic gases at the point of use. Once full, these canisters are processed using supercritical CO₂ extraction to recover, purify, and repackage the anaesthetic agents for clinical reuse.
Impact:
This innovative approach not only prevents harmful emissions but also enables recycling of valuable clinical materials – drastically reducing the environmental impact of anaesthesia in healthcare settings. As the NHS works towards net-zero, solutions like this play a critical role in building a more sustainable future for patient care.
HRC support:
- Enabled real-world testing with anaesthetic machines, theatres, and NHS technical staff.
- Supported in vivo data collection across evolving prototypes in NHS settings.
- Provided clinical oversight and integration via anaesthetists, engineers, and ODPs.
- Assisted successful Innovate UK bids and offered marketing support.
