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Pulsed-Xenon Ultraviolet Light Highly Inactivates Human Coronaviruses on Solid Surfaces, Particularly SARS-CoV-2

Melissa Bello-Perez1, Iris Esparza2, Arancha De la Encina2

  • 1Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Campus Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|November 11, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Pulsed-xenon UV (PX-UV) light effectively disinfects surfaces contaminated with human coronaviruses (CoVs), including SARS-CoV-2. This rapid method offers a promising solution for preventing viral transmission in healthcare settings during pandemics.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Non-pharmaceutical interventions are crucial for managing viral pandemics and preventing the emergence of new variants.
  • Efficient disinfection methods are essential in healthcare settings to control the spread of human coronaviruses (CoVs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of pulsed-xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) light in disinfecting surfaces contaminated with three different human coronaviruses (HCoV-229E, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2).
  • To compare the effectiveness of PX-UV light with conventional low-pressure mercury UVC lamps for SARS-CoV-2 inactivation.

Main Methods:

  • Testing the disinfection capabilities of a characterized PX-UV light source on dried human coronaviruses on surfaces.
  • Comparing PX-UV inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 with UVC inactivation using equivalent irradiances.

Main Results:

  • PX-UV light completely inactivated all tested CoVs on solid surfaces, reducing infectivity by up to 4 orders of magnitude.
  • A cumulative dose of 21.162 mJ/cm² (5.402 mJ/cm² UVC) with PX-UV light achieved complete inactivation.
  • PX-UV light demonstrated superior inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 compared to continuous UVC irradiation at equivalent irradiances.

Conclusions:

  • PX-UV light is a highly effective and rapid method for disinfecting surfaces contaminated with human coronaviruses.
  • PX-UV technology shows significant potential as a decontamination strategy against current and future CoV outbreaks in healthcare environments.
Keywords:
HCoV-229EMERS-CoVSARS-CoV-2coronaviruspulsed-xenon ultravioletvirus inactivation

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