UV-C lighting’s time to shine
ECA Commercial Associate Signify is at the forefront of lighting technology that intersects with the ongoing public health crisis…
As business owners and policymakers look to sanitize and safeguard public spaces, UV-C disinfection has gone from a somewhat niche technology to an important part of the public health toolkit.
UV-C has been used in specific applications such as the safe disinfection of drinking water
Ultraviolet light sits at the short wavelength end of the visual light spectrum, and part of the UV range is UV-C (along with the more familiar UV-A and UV-B that you’ll see referred to on sunscreen bottles). Spanning the 100-280 nanometre wavelength of the spectrum, UV-C is not visible to the human eye and solar UV-C is filtered out by the Earth’s atmosphere.
But when produced by UV-C disinfection lamps, this part of the spectrum can deactivate the microorganisms that threaten our health, including viruses and bacteria.
Signify has been at the forefront of UV-C technology for more than 35 years. For decades, UV-C has been used in specific applications such as the safe disinfection of drinking water. Much more recently, in laboratory testing, Signify’s UV-C light sources reduced SARS-CoV-2 virus infectivity on a surface to below detectable levels in under 10 seconds.
Safer surfaces…
Surfaces can be disinfected with direct exposure through UV-C lamps, luminaires or disinfection trolleys, which are activated when there are no persons or animals in the room. Since UV-C exposure is hazardous to humans and animals, these products must be fitted with remote on-off switches and sensors to detect presence and shut down the system.
In combination with traditional cleaning, UV-C surface disinfection can provide a very effective layer of protection for high contact areas like public transport interiors, offices, schools, and gyms.
surface disinfection can only go so far when there are pathogens in the air that we breathe
For small objects, UV-C disinfection can also be applied through a disinfection chamber. Originally designed for use in the agricultural sector, these chambers can be used to disinfect handled items such as mobile phones, laptops and wallets.
Disinfection chambers like the Once Bioshift chamber or the Philips UV-C disinfection chamber are easy to use and can be used while people are present in the room, since disinfection takes place entirely within the closed chamber.
…and safer air
Keeping surfaces disinfected is an obvious step to better hygiene in shared spaces. But surface disinfection can only go so far when there are pathogens in the air that we breathe.
Studies show that airborne transmission is a significant factor in the spread of disease-causing viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and this means that surface disinfection provides only part of the solution.
From supermarkets to offices, almost any indoor space can benefit from properly designed and delivered UV-C air and surface disinfection
Signify’s UV-C upper air luminaires are mounted on the ceiling or high on the walls, far from reach of the room’s occupants. Air is treated with the UV-C light source as it circulates through the upper areas of a room through natural convection. Significantly, the design and correct placement of these luminaires make it possible to use them even when people are in the room.
UV-C disinfection can also be combined with air conditioning systems to keep the cooling coil free from the microorganisms that can create a hazardous biofilm.
From supermarkets to offices, almost any indoor space can benefit from properly designed and delivered UV-C air and surface disinfection. While the most urgent application is mitigating the spread of COVID-19, experience has shown that this method can be used effectively against a wide variety of pathogens, including seasonal flu. It has taken a global pandemic to bring this technology into the spotlight, but it seems that the benefits of UV-C will now be available in many applications, for decades to come.
When systems are designed properly, installed correctly, and used with full adherence to the safety instructions, UV-C is a highly effective form of disinfection for air, surfaces and other objects, adding an extra layer of protection from viral and bacterial disease in the built environment.
For more information, visit https://www.signify.com/en-gb/innovation/uv-c
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