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Smelly pooches, beware. There’s a new technology proven to rinse the air of your foul whiffs. Designed in Japan, and heading your way soon, Plasmacluster has the power to break down smell-inducing bacteria in the air, reducing doggy odour in confined spaces to a barely perceptible pong.

The technology is ingenious in its simplicity, using the same chemical process as the human body uses to fight off infections, Plasmacluster generators are usually found inside air conditioning and purification devices.

They generate both positive and negative ions, which attach to airborne impurities, breaking them down by sucking out hydrogen molecules. The bacteria is then left to wither into a harmless state. It neutralises nasties, and in the process cuts down smell.

Bacteria concentration reduced to NASA standardised levels for air inside operating theatres

How much dog whiff can it neutralise? The majority, according to scientific studies by Japan’s Animal Clinical Research Foundation in cooperation with Sharp, the makers of Plasmacluster tech.

We’ve all walked into a friend’s house and had that sinking feeling when punched in the nostrils by dog odour, but according to Yoshihisa Yamane and Kazuaki Takashima, president and general manager of the Animal Clinical Research Foundation those days are over, and dogs will be healthier because of it too.

How does Plasmacluster technology work? Plasmacluster generators produce positively charged H+ and negatively charged O2- ions which attach themselves to microbes and viruses in the air. When they meet on the surface of a bacterial or viral cell they bond, forming highly oxidative OH radicals which attract hydrogen from within the cell itself. As the hydrogen is drawn out of the bacteria, its membrane begins to break down. Without a membrane, it can’t survive or grow. Plasmacluster inhibits the growth of bacteria and stopps the spread of airborne impurities.

“Plasmacluster was tested in an area (of an animal hospital) where dogs are kept,” they explained. “Plasmacluster technology can inhibit canine parvovirus infectivity, which is feared by animal health care workers. This technology is expected to be used for not only protecting dogs’ lives but also for protecting veterinary institutions from the spread of infectious diseases.”

In the scientific trials, Plasmacluster reduced smells inside a dog kennel from levels well above “recognisable odor” to almost imperceptible levels.

What’s more, the concentration of bacteria in the air was reduced significantly. Each time the Plasmacluster ion generators switched on, bacteria concentration reduced dramatically, dipping to NASA standardised cleanliness levels for air inside operating theatres, with airborne bacteria no more than 17.7 CFU/m3.

Sharp currently produces air conditioners and ion generators with Plasmacluster inside, as well as fitting the technology inside fridges and even creating portable versions for use in-car. Could this really be the end of smelly dog syndrome?

See Plasmacluster in action

While Plasmacluster technology is invisible, it’s best explained with video. Check out the clip from Sharp tomorrow, and you’ll see how simple hydrogen extraction from cells can lead to a healthier, germ-free environment for people and dogs alike!