What is Disinfecting Lighting?
Disinfection Lighting is lighting that operates at specified wavelengths to inactivate harmful pathogens and viruses.
Far UV
Unknown Pathogen Effects / Exposure Risk / Technology Infancy
Ultraviolet (UV) (not Lighting) emission band in specific wavelengths that has been shown to inactivate viruses and kill bacteria, mold, and fungi with relatively short exposure duration.
- 222nm, Non-visible
- Technology infancy
- Unclear pathogen effects
- Virus effect being tested
- Effective on bacteria
- Not effective on mold or fungi
- Exposure time tested
- Exposure risks
- Ozone risks
Germicidal UV (UV-C)
Superior Pathogen Effect / Controllable Exposure Risks / Proven Technology
Ultraviolet (UV) (not Lighting) emission band in specific wavelengths that has been shown to inactivate viruses and kill bacteria, mold, and fungi with relatively short exposure duration.
- 254nm, Non-visible
- Proven technology (no known micro organisms resistant to UV-C) *
- Proven pathogen effects
- Inactivates viruses
- Kills bacteria
- Kills mold and fungi
- Exposure time is short
- Exposure risks
* Fluence (UV Dose) Required to Achieve Incremental Log Inactivation of Bacteria, Protozoa, Viruses and Algae Revised, updated and expanded by Adel Haji Malayeri, MadjidMohseni, Bill Cairns and James R. Bolton. With earlier contributions by Gabriel Chevrefils(2006) and Eric Caron (2006) With peer review by Benoit Barbeau, Harold Wright (1999) and Karl G. Linden.
UVA/B
Limited Pathogen Effect / Controllable Exposure Risks / Proven Technology
Ultraviolet (UV) non-visible emission in the UV-A and UV-B wavelength bands that provide a germicidal effect over extended exposure periods.
- 315/365nm Non-visible
- Proven technology
- Limited pathogen effect
- Low virus inactivation
- Reduces bacteria
- Limited effect on mold, fungi
- Exposure time is moderate
- Exposure risk
Near-UV
Limited Pathogen Effect / Limited Exposure Risks / Technology Infancy
Lighting that operates outside of the UV spectrum at wavelengths shown to kill bacteria with long exposure durations.
- 405nm, Visible light
- Technology infancy
- Limited pathogen effect
- Extremely limited viruses effect
- Reduces bacteria
- Unknown effect on mold and fungi
- Exposure time is long
- Limited exposure risks
Complex Science. Simple Answer.
- RNA / DNA of a microbe can be altered
- A virus is not a living organism – it cannot be killed. It can be inactivated.
- UV-C wavelengths (254nm) have high energy that alter RNA / DNA in microbes
- This energy destroys the nucleric acids altering the structure of RNA and inactivates the virus
Benefits of UVC vs. Near-UV
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Are there safety concerns?
- Intended for operation while spaces are not occupied
- UV-C technology is harmful to eyes and skin
Safeguards
- Operate only with proper personal protection equipment (PPE)
- On/Off UV-C source is visible – blue hue during operation
- UV-C technology has limited penetration (walls, glass>3mm)
- The best safeguards are through proper application design
UV dose to obtain 90% killing rate
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| Bacteria | Dose | K |
|---|---|---|
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | 60.0 | 0.038 |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | 60.0 | 0.038 |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | 60.0 | 0.038 |
