A UVC Air Steriliser is a portable device that deactivates airborne viruses, bacteria and fungi, including coronaviruses, while remaining safe for people in a room. After 8 hours of use the air is the standard of an operating theatre.
The Science
There is mounting concern tiny droplets of moisture (aka aerosols) breathed out by people can carry the coronavirus, and in confined spaces can be breathed in by others causing virus transmission. The concern of scientists have been reported in articles in Nature and the British Medical Journal.
The challenge is to suppress these infectious aerosols which remain airborne after being breathed out.
How a UVC Air Steriliser Works
The air in the room is sucked by fans into a special chamber containing the UVC lamps, which sterilises the air of viruses, bacteria and fungi. The cleaned air is then blown out of the front of the device.
UVC, or ultra-violet light in the “c” spectrum has been shown to deactivate viruses, bacteria and fungi, including coronaviruses.
The UVC lamps are tested to verify their efficacy in deactivating coronaviruses. For more information on lamp manufacturers testing with coronaviruses visit PHILIPS or OSRAM.
Is a UVC Air Steriliser Safe?
A UVC Air Steriliser enables the use of UVC light in a safe way to sterilise airborne viruses, bacteria and fungi.
Direct exposure to UVC light is harmful to the skin and eyes of people causing sunburn and conjunctivitis. In the past UVC lamps have only been used in highly controlled environments such as operating theatres.
UVC Air Sterilisers that have UVC lamps inside an enclosed box protects people from direct exposure.
No UVC radiation is emitted out of the machine, so no harm to people. The key advantage is people can stay in the room while such a device is in operation.
Summary
Hand washing/sanitising, social distancing and mask wearing should suppress the large majority of coronavirus transmission. In high traffic confined spaces where exhaled aerosols are expected to accumulate then the deployment of an UVC Air Steriliser provides an additional precaution.
If you would like more information about the machines we have deployed at our customer sites, please contact our Sales team.