This is a submission from Transfer Multisort Elektronik on the use of UV light for disinfection and sterilization.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompts us to think about what measures we should take to ensure safety at home, at work and in all those places where we meet other people. While it is theoretically possible to disinfect all the indoor spaces in which we stay and all the items we touch with alcohol-based liquids, it is not really doable when it comes to everyday life. After all, there are unreachable nooks and corners in every room. What is more, some surfaces and materials will not take moisture well. Are there any modern solutions that help us make our surroundings safer?

Effective disinfection using Liteon UV-C LEDs

As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) explain, there are various way of contracting the coronavirus. For instance, you can acquire the disease by touching a contaminated item and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes with the same hand. In order to protect ourselves from the virus, we should follow the principles of social distancing, wash our hands regularly, and disinfect everything we use on a daily basis. In particular, this refers to those items that we frequently use outdoors and those that come into contact with our faces, such as smartphones.

The good news is that disinfection does not necessarily mean the need to spend hours cleaning your everyday items with a liquid disinfectant. Instead, you can reach for other methods of decontamination, which are less time-consuming. If you need a more convenient alternative, UV radiation may prove to be a good solution, for example, ultraviolet sterilization lamps, which have been used in hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities for many years now.

The use of UV light for disinfection and sterilization

Ultraviolet radiation is a very efficient solution for all those situations in which you want to get rid of various pathogens. Medical centres and laboratories have been using UV lamps for a long time to sterilise medical tools and to disinfect hospital rooms. Nowadays, smaller versions of such lamps are becoming increasingly popular among small companies and even in our homes, as they make it easier to keep viruses and bacteria away from our interiors and items we use on a daily basis.

Three basic types of UV light are distinguished: UV-A (wavelength: 315…380 nm), UV-B (280…315 nm) and UV-C (100…280 nm). As you can see, UV-C light has the shortest wavelength, and at the same time it carries the highest energy. This means that this type of radiation is a good choice if we want to eliminate uninvited bacteria and viruses.

As evidenced in research, ultraviolet light is able to eliminate 99.9% of all pathogens. UV lamps can be used for effective disinfection of surfaces and sterilization of tools and everyday objects, without the necessity to use any toxic chemical agents.

Can a UV lamp destroy the SARS-CoV-2 virus?

When an infected person coughs or sneezes, the coronavirus is likely to spread to other people through airborne droplets. You can also catch the disease if you touch a surface that is contaminated with the virus and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes with the same hand, even though scientists emphasize that this is not the primary way in which the virus spreads.

Tested in laboratory and clinical conditions, UV light has proved effective in eliminating various pathogens. However, it needs to be noted here that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is a relatively new disease. While experts argue that there is no specific research which evidences that UV light is able to inactivate the coronavirus, it seems most probable that it is as effective against COVID-19 as it is against influenza and other viruses. In that case, UV light is likely to become a very successful measure to help control the coronavirus pandemic and keep our everyday surroundings clean.

Use of ultraviolet – what can be decontaminated with UV light?

The light of UV lamps can eliminate as much as 99.99% of viruses on glass, metal and wood surfaces, but also on plastics with an addition of a UV inhibitor. Such inhibitors are added to the majority of high-quality plastics, as they protect products used outdoors from sunlight. In the case of elements made of cheap, low-quality plastics (which do not contain this ingredient), discoloration and even brittleness may occur after they are exposed to UV light for a long time.