Thanks to LEDs, it would be possible to eliminate Covid-19 from furniture, floors and even clothes.
- UV-C is effective in purifying air and water
- California researchers are working on their use to disinfect surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2
Ultraviolet is not just for tanning! Depending on their type (A, B or C), their usefulness varies. From california researchers want to use UV-C to disinfect surfaces contaminated by bacteria and viruses, including Covid-19. “Our main application concerns medical situations: the disinfection of personal protective equipment, surfaces, floors, the interior of heating, air conditioning or ventilation systems, etc.”, specifies Christian Zollner, researcher in materials science, whose work is focused on the use of LEDs and ultraviolet rays in the sanitary field.
Harmful to the skin but useful against viruses
Ultraviolet has already been used to disinfect for many years, but research is now focusing on its application against Covid-19. UV-C are artificially produced, they are known to be effective in purifying air or water, however, they are harmful to humans: they can burn the skin, even during brief use. The WHO also advises against using UV lamps to disinfect hands.
In the environment or on surfaces, they could prove very useful. According to a Korean company, LEDs, working with UV-C, are able to eliminate 99.9% of Covid-19 from surfaces in 30 seconds. “This would provide an economical, chemical-free, and easy-to-use method to decontaminate public, medical and personal spaces.”emphasizes Christian Zollner.
Research will take time
Initially, researchers were interested in this technology to rapidly disinfect water in parts of the world where access to drinking water is difficult. UV-C emitting LEDs can last a long time and are reliable enough. With the arrival of Covid-19, scientists decided to use this system for decontamination. We will have to wait for it to spread: as in many places in the world, the United States has taken social distancing measures, which is slowing down the work of researchers at the University of California – Santa Barbara. “Many technological advances are needed for UV-C LEDs to reach their potential in terms of efficiency, cost, reliability and lifetime”concludes Christian Zollner.
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