image: Panasonic's nanoe(TM) (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) technology proven to inactivate harmful mycotoxins

Feb 06, 2026

Company / Press Releases

Panasonic's nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) technology proven to inactivate harmful mycotoxins^*1

Tokyo, Japan, February 6, 2026 – Panasonic Corporation (https://holdings.panasonic/global/) (Panasonic) today announced that, under the supervision of the Applied Biotechnology Institute (ABI: a leading authority in mold research, headed by Dr. Pham Nguyen Duc Hoang, located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam), it has demonstrated the inactivation effects of its nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) technology on three major types of mycotoxins*² known to adversely affect the health of humans and animals.

Mycotoxins are a general term for toxins produced by mold in hot and humid environments. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ingesting a certain amount of mycotoxins through food can cause not only acute poisoning and weakened immunity but may also lead to cancer.*³ In addition, repeatedly inhaling airborne micro-particles (aerosols) carrying mycotoxins is also considered harmful to human health.*^4, *⁵Furthermore, because mycotoxins are not easily degraded by ethanol, the toxins may remain even after the mold itself is wiped away.*⁶

Panasonic conducted a study in Vietnam, where the hot and humid climate throughout the year creates an environment prone to mold growth. Air samples were collected from the living rooms and bedrooms of ordinary households and cultured for analysis. As a result, multiple mold genera with the potential to produce mycotoxins were detected. Subsequent testing on three representative types of mycotoxins confirmed that nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) technology inactivated more than 90% of them in a test chamber (45 liters).*^7,*⁸ In a space closer in size to an actual living environment (approximately 21 m³), more than 90% inactivation of aflatoxin B1 was also observed.*^7, *⁹ It should be noted that these results were obtained under specific test conditions and do not represent verification of effectiveness in actual usage spaces. In addition, the tests examined the impact on chemical substances that contribute to symptom aggravation, not on symptom aggravation itself.

Panasonic aims to contribute to society by providing comfortable and clean environments, and will continue to advance nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) technology while exploring its potential.

Comments from Dr. Pham Nguyen Duc Hoang, Applied Biotechnology Institute^*

image: Dr. Pham Nguyen Duc Hoang, Applied Biotechnology Institute

In hot and humid environments such as Vietnam or Japan during the rainy season, mold tends to occur and proliferate easily. As a result, not only mold spores but also mycotoxins produced by mold may spread within living spaces. These are invisible to the eye, but long-term inhalation can pose serious health risks, including respiratory diseases, allergies, internal organ disorders, and even cancer. This study scientifically confirmed that nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) technology can inactivate mycotoxins. I believe this technology can improve indoor air quality and help reduce health risks associated with mold.

*The above comments were requested by Panasonic and have been edited for publication.

■Key findings of this study

Figure 1: Collected ordinary Vietnamese household samples and mold culture results (partial excerpt)

Following the collection and culture of air samples from living spaces of ordinary Vietnamese households in hot and humid environments, mold was detected in all households. Among these, mold genera with the potential to produce mycotoxins were identified (Verification 1).
nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) technology demonstrated an inactivation effect of more than 90% on three representative mycotoxins*^7, *⁸ (Verification 2).
In a space similar in size to an actual living environment (approximately 21 m³), more than 90% inactivation effect was confirmed*^7, *⁹ for aflatoxin B1, which is the mycotoxin with the strongest carcinogenicity*^10, *¹¹ (Verification 3).

■Test condition

Verification 1

Testing organization: Eurofins Sac Ky Hai Dang Company Limited
Samples: Air samples collected from living rooms and bedrooms of ordinary households in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.Method: Air samples collected using an air sampler were cultured to identify the types of mold present in the air.

Verification 2

Testing organization: Panasonic Holdings Corporation, Product Analysis Center
Targets: Aflatoxin B1, gliotoxin, and sterigmatocystin
Equipment: nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) generator
Method: A Petri dish containing each mycotoxin was placed 10 centimeters from the device inside a 45-liter test chamber, and nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) was applied. The Petri dishes were then collected and analyzed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Residual mycotoxin concentrations were calculated from the peak areas of the spectrum obtained via LC-MS. Inactivation rates were determined by comparing results from the nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) exposure condition with those from a blank (natural) environment.*⁷

Verification 3

Testing organization: Biostir Inc. (Supervised by Dr. Pham Nguyen Duc Hoang, Director of ABI)
Target: Aflatoxin B1
Equipment: Fan equipped with a nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) generator
Method: A Petri dish containing aflatoxin B1 was placed 1.5 meters from the device and 1.2 meters above the floor inside a 21-cubic-meter test chamber.
nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) was dispersed into the space via airflow from a wall-mounted fan. The Petri dish was collected and analyzed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
Residual aflatoxin B1 concentrations were calculated from the peak areas obtained via LC-MS/MS. Inactivation rates were determined by comparing results from the nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) exposure condition with those from a blank (natural) environment.*⁷

■Verification results

Verification 1

From air samples collected and cultured from 12 surveyed households, 16 mold colonies were selected. Approximately 75% of these were identified as mold genera with the potential to produce mycotoxins (Verification 1).

Verification 2

In a 45-liter test chamber, a nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) generator was operated to evaluate the inactivation rates*⁷ of three representative mycotoxins.
In all cases, more than 90% inactivation was confirmed after five minutes of exposure.

Table 1. Inactivation rates of mycotoxins following nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) exposure*⁷

Test target	Exposure time	Inactivation rate
Aflatoxin B1	5 min.	>90%
Gliotoxin	5 min.	>90%
Sterigmatocystin	5 min.	>90%

Figure 2: Inactivation rates of mycotoxins following nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) exposure*⁷

Verification 3

In a 21-cubic-meter test chamber, a fan equipped with a nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) generator was operated for 24 and 48 hours to evaluate the inactivation rate*⁷ of aflatoxin B1.
More than 70% inactivation was confirmed after 24 hours, and more than 90% after 48 hours.

Figure 3: Inactivation rate of aflatoxin B1 using a fan equipped with a nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) generator*⁷

■Principle of nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) generation

Figure 4: nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) generator

The atomizing electrode is cooled using a Peltier element, causing moisture in the air to condense into water. When a high voltage is applied between the atomizing electrode and the opposing electrode, nanoe™ (hydroxyl radicals contained in water) particles containing hydroxyl radicals are generated. These particles measure approximately 5–20 nanometers in diameter (Figure 4).

References

*1: Japan Society for Mycotoxicology, "What Are Mycotoxins…," (September 20, 2018), https://www.jsmyco.org/info/about.html

*2: Aflatoxin B1, gliotoxin, and sterigmatocystin

*3: WHO, "Mycotoxins," Fact sheets (October 2, 2023) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mycotoxins

*4: Brankica Aleksic et al. "Aerosolization of Mycotoxins after Growth of Toxinogenic Fungi on Wallpaper," Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol.83, Issue 16, e01001-17, 2017.

*5: Luje Curtis et al. "Adverse Health Effects of Indoor Moulds," Journal of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine, vol.14, pp261-274, 2004.

*6: Mariya Kiseleva et al. "Stability of Mycotoxins in Individual Stock and Multi-Analyte Standard Solutions," Toxins, vol.12, Number.94, 2020.

*7: Calculated by Panasonic.

*8: Results after five minutes of exposure.

*9: Results after 48 hours of exposure.

*10: According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification of mycotoxin carcinogenicity (Vol. 1–123), aflatoxins are categorized in Group 1, indicating carcinogenicity to humans.

*11: Comparison based on LD50 (median lethal dose) values for mycotoxins (Panasonic data).

About Panasonic Corporation

Panasonic Corporation offers products and services for a variety of living environments, ranging from homes to stores to offices and cities. There are five businesses at the core of Panasonic Corporation: Living Appliances and Solutions Company, Heating & Ventilation A/C Company, Cold Chain Solutions Company, Electric Works Company and China and Northeast Asia Company. The operating company reported consolidated net sales of 3,584.2 billion yen for the year ended March 31, 2025. Panasonic Corporation is committed to fulfilling the mission of Life Tech & Ideas: For the wellbeing of people, society and the planet, and embraces the vision of becoming the best partner of your life with human-centric technology and innovation. Learn more about Panasonic: https://www.panasonic.com/global/about.html

Customer Contact:

Living Appliances and Solutions Company, Panasonic Corporation
Devices Products Business Unit, Beauty and Personal Care Business Division
Telephone: +81-(0)749-27-0485 (available 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)

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