What benefits in terms of lowering the risk can the constant use of an air disinfection system in a closed environment provide?Ī system that has been tested and shown to be effective in bringing down high levels of viral load is not necessarily able to provide risk reduction if not correctly contextualised. Hands are undoubtedly the main means of transmission of infections and, even if directly protected from airborne infections, their contact with a contaminated surface and subsequent contact with the nose or mouth, which is common in daily life, can be risky. Although the SARS-CoV-2 virus is generally more transmissible by aerosol, transmission depends on many factors, such as distance, good hygiene practices such as hand disinfection, use of personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, etc.). Viruses are transmitted in many ways: by droplets emitted from the mouth and nose of an infected person, but also by contact. Is it more efficient to disinfect the air or surfaces to reduce the risk of infection in enclosed spaces? We read that the main vehicle for spreading the COVID-19 virus is 90% aerosol. Decontamination of environments in the presence of people and in a relatively short time (several minutes) generally requires very powerful systems and therefore very high costs: the latter can only be reduced through a high level of engineering optimisation. The cheap ones have rather long air disinfection times (even several hours) during which there must be no people present or openings to contaminating external environments. The main difference is their effectiveness, which depends inversely on the economic cost. Undoubtedly, there are many air disinfection systems on the market today, some of them extremely cheap. It depends on what the purpose of the systems is, i.e., whether they have to work in the presence or absence of people and in a short, medium, or long space of time. What suggestions do you have for those considering the purchase of these systems? We often see advertisements for very cheap air disinfection systems and others that are more complex and expensive. It is incorrect to use the word ‘sterilisation’, as the main mechanism of action of UVC, as just said, is not to ‘kill’ microbes, but to make them unable to replicate. UVC disinfection on air is based on two main principles: UVC rays contrast the ability of microorganisms to replicate the exchange of outlet contaminated air and the inlet of fresh air dilutes the concentration of microorganisms in the environment. Those who have been manufacturing these devices for years know the elements that need to be considered to produce effective and safe systems. It can make the difference between an ineffective system and a highly effective one. The power of the UVC sources is very important, but the engineering of the systems is fundamental. What are the criteria for choosing an effective UVC air disinfection system? The main disadvantages include the potential danger to humans and its inability to overcome obstacles between the source and the objects/elements to be disinfected. The main advantages are that UVC does not pollute, is practically effective on all micro-organisms (even those resistant to antibiotics and chemical agents) and is generally a good compromise between cost and effectiveness. UVC is an effective and fast physical means of disinfection, with advantages and disadvantages compared to chemical disinfection. But do these systems really work?Įvery technology should be used with its limitations and advantages in mind. There is a lot of talk about UVC air disinfection systems as a valuable tool for combating the spread of viruses. Here, they speak to Health Europa about the upsurge in UVC disinfection devices and consider some of the key advantages and limitations of these emerging innovations. For over 10 years, the University of Siena’s Gabriele Messina and Gabriele Cevenini have been collaborating synergistically in research activities focused on the engineering of disinfection techniques with classical (lamps) and innovative (chips and LEDs) UV sources. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought with it an unprecedented flurry of new disinfection technologies, most notably those using UVC. 1 iStock/AVAKAphoto Gabriele Messina and Gabriele Cevenini of the University of Siena explore the emergence and efficacy of UVC disinfection technologies.
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