Year: 2020
Type: preprint
Abstract: Significant research has shown that UV-C exposure is an effective disinfectant for a range of bacteria and viruses, including coronaviruses. As such, a UV-C treatment in combination with a chemical wipe, such as EPA hydrogen peroxide, is a common cleaning protocol in a medical setting, and such disinfection protocols have gained in importance during the current COVID-19 pandemic due to the need to reuse PPE. However, given the substantial increase in patient volume, the quantity of materials requiring disinfection exceeds the UV-C equipment throughput capabilities at many medical facilities. Therefore, there is a need for a UV-C disinfection system that can be rapidly deployed. In response to this demand, we designed, constructed, and validated a UV-C disinfection system from readily accessible components; specifically, a plastic bin, UV-C light bulb and conventional light housing. To further improve the performance, the interior of the tub was spray-painted with chrome paint, forming a low quality-factor (Q) Fabry-Perot optical cavity. As part of this work, a set of modular design criteria which allows for flexibility in component selection without degradation of UV-C dose performance is established. This flexibility is critical given the current fluctuating availability of source materials. The disinfection capabilities of the system are validated using Bacillus cereus, a gram-positive endospore-forming bacteria.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: She, Rosemary C., Chen, Dongyu, Pak, Pil, Armani, Deniz K., Schubert, Andreas, Armani, Andrea M.
Institution: University of Southern California
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3013520857