Ever since
the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the demand to understand
various disinfection techniques. This became a reason for conducting several
pieces of research, many of which have been on Germicidal UV technology. This
technology, in particular, has been under constant limelight for its
outstanding disinfection capabilities. Institutions all over the world are
conducting researches to comprehend the abilities of UV light to fight against harmful
microorganisms. The Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has recently issued a comprehensive report on Germicidal UV that
incorporates detailed data on topics such as the impact of UV technology on
disease-causing pathogens and the testing of various germicidal products.
LRC Report
“Lighting
Answers: UV Disinfection Products”, a report issued by LRC, is a part of the
center’s National Lighting Product Information Program (NLPIP). The objective
behind the program is to guide lighting professionals such as engineers,
contractors, and designers about effective and energy-efficient lighting
products. Funding for the program was provided by major institutions like
Lighting Energy Alliance, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and the McClung Lighting Research Foundation.
LRC’s work
on this subject is quite extensive wherein it has covered fundamentals of how
UV rays help in deactivating various harmful microorganisms. Although the work
majorly circles around the UV-C band (100-280 nm) energy, it also covers longer
wavelengths. A detailed description of Various UV sources and different types
of system implementations provided by manufacturers is also a major part of
this document.
A specific
section in the report is dedicated to dosage and germicidal efficacy. Other
than this, some details of a survey conducted last summer by LRC that provides
useful information on the expectations of key stakeholders in the lighting
industry are also present in the report. LRC’s major focus, throughout the
report, has been on three important aspects of UV usage – germicidal efficacy,
energy consumption, and radiation safety.
With researches being conducted on germicidal UV technology, scientists and researchers all across the world are learning more about the efficiency of this technology to fight against various disease-causing pathogens, more importantly, the Coronavirus.
Source article: https://www.ledsmagazine.com/lighting-health-wellbeing/article/14189655/germicidal-uvc-news-lrc-publishes-report-seoul-led-efficacy-and-osram