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Far-UVC Radiation for Disinfecting Hands or Gloves?
Martin Hessling1, Ben Sicks1, Bernhard Lau1
1Institute of Medical Engineering and Mechatronics, Ulm University of Applied Sciences, Albert-Einstein-Allee 55, D-89081 Ulm, Germany.
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 25, 2023
Summary
Far-UVC radiation shows antimicrobial effects on hands and gloves but is less effective than alcohol disinfectants. Current regulations limit its use for frequent hand disinfection in healthcare settings.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Public Health
- Biophysics
Background:
- Far-UVC radiation (200-230 nm) demonstrates potent antimicrobial properties.
- It exhibits minimal harm to human skin, suggesting potential for healthcare applications.
- This study investigates its efficacy for hand disinfection in clinical environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of far-UVC radiation for disinfecting hands and gloves.
- To compare far-UVC disinfection with conventional alcohol-based disinfectants.
- To assess the feasibility of far-UVC for routine hand hygiene in healthcare.
Main Methods:
- Microbial contamination of hands and gloves followed by exposure to 222 nm far-UVC radiation at 23 mJ/cm² and 100 mJ/cm².
- Post-irradiation colony counting on agar plates after 24-hour incubation.
- Comparative disinfection using a commercial alcohol-based hand rub.
Main Results:
- A one-log reduction in microbial colonies on hands with 23 mJ/cm² far-UVC.
- A 1.3-log reduction on contaminated gloves with 100 mJ/cm² far-UVC.
- Alcohol-based disinfectant achieved higher reductions (1.9 logs on hands, ~1 log on gloves).
Conclusions:
- Far-UVC radiation offers a considerable reduction in microbial load on hands and gloves.
- Disinfection efficacy on surfaces is lower than reported for microbial suspensions.
- Current European Union irradiation limits restrict frequent use; regulatory changes are anticipated. Disinfection of gloved hands is possible, provided glove integrity is maintained.
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