Researchers have found a particular wavelength of UV light that can kill COVID-19 without harming people’s skin or eyes.
The work was conducted at the University of Colorado Boulder and is described in a study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Trying various forms of UV light, environmental engineer Karl Linden, PhD, and colleagues found all worked at inactivating SARS-CoV-2. That includes sunlight.
However, the form that proved the surest COVID zapper in the new research was one known to be safe to humans.
“Interestingly, [this particular source of] irradiation has been found to be safe for human exposure up to thresholds that are beyond effective for inactivating viruses,” Linden and co-authors write. “Therefore, applying UV light from [commercially available] krypton chloride excimer [lamps] in public spaces can effectively help reduce viral aerosol or surface transmissions.”
In the university’s news coverage of the development, Linden says the finding “can be a game changer for the public use of UV light in indoor spaces. … There is an opportunity here to save money and energy while protecting public health.”
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Of almost every pathogen we have ever studied, this [COVID] virus is one of the easiest, by far, to kill with UV light. It takes a very low dose. This indicates that UV technology could be a really good solution for protecting public spaces.”
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.