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How to use Ultraviolet light (UVC) to fight COVID-19 effectively in dental clinics: Dr Ajay Bajaj

Unlike other techniques, UVC photolysis rarely produces potentially dangerous by-products. Dr Ajay Bajaj on the effectiveness of UVC against COVID 19
Rajeev Chitguppi, Dental Tribune South Asia

Rajeev Chitguppi, Dental Tribune South Asia

Tue. 12 May 2020

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Dentistry, labelled as the highest-risk profession in COVID-19 times because of the aerosol spread in the clinic, has forced dental professionals to look for tools that guarantee total elimination of the virus risk. Among the various technologies being considered, ultraviolet light (UV-C) disinfection has gained favour due to its efficacy against a broad range of microbial and viral agents found in a variety of environments.

An emergent pneumonia outbreak originated in Wuhan city, China in late December 2019. Researchers quickly isolated a new virus and sequenced its genome (29,903 nucleotides). The infectious agent of this viral pneumonia happening in Wuhan was finally identified as a novel coronavirus (2019-nCOV), the seventh member of the family of coronaviruses that infect humans. On 11th February 2020, WHO named the novel viral pneumonia as “Corona Virus Disease (COVID19)”, while the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) suggested this novel coronavirus name as “SARS-CoV-2” due to the phylogenetic and taxonomic analysis of this novel coronavirus.

This initiated the pandemic story and now we all are facing challenges of COVID-19 cross-infection our practices. COVID-19 is a disease that is highly infectious and spreads rapidly in the community.

Transmission routes of SARS CoV-2 in clinics and hospital environments:

Since SARS CoV-2 can be passed directly from person to person by respiratory droplets, evidence suggested that it is transmitted through contact and fomites. In addition, the asymptomatic incubation period for individuals infected with SARS CoV-2 has been reported to be ~1–14 days. To et al. reported that live viruses were present in the saliva of infected individuals by viral culture method.

Droplet and aerosol transmission of SARS CoV-2 are the most important concerns in dental clinics and hospitals because it is hard to avoid the generation of large amounts of aerosol and droplet mixed with patient’s saliva and even blood during dental practice. In addition to the infected patient’s cough and breathing, dental devices such as high-speed dental handpiece use high-speed air to drive the turbine to rotate at high speed and work with running water. When dental devices work in the patient’s oral cavity, a large amount of aerosol and droplets mixed with the patient’s saliva or even blood will be generated. Particles of droplets and aerosols are small enough to stay airborne for an extended period before they settle on environmental surfaces or enter the respiratory tract. Thus, the SARS CoV-2 has the potential to spread through droplets and aerosols from infected individuals in dental clinics and hospitals.

Contaminated surfaces spread Human coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), or endemic human coronaviruses (HCoV) can persist on surfaces like metal, glass, or plastic for up to a couple of days. Therefore, contaminated surfaces that are frequently contacted in healthcare settings are a potential source of coronavirus transmission. Dental practices derived droplets and aerosols from infected patients, which likely contaminate the whole surface in dental offices. In addition, it was shown at room temperature that HCoV remains infectious from 2 hours up to 9 days and persists better at 50% compared with 30% relative humidity. Thus, keeping a clean and dry environment in the dental office would help decrease the persistence of 2019- nCoV.

How do we disinfect our clinics and hospitals?

Highly infectious microbial and viral diseases are a major challenge to global health, and, as such, are also a significant risk to global financial stability and security. While vaccines play a key role in preventing viral epidemics and pandemics, once an outbreak has occurred, the implementation of disinfection measures to limit spread becomes paramount.

To disinfect the dental operatories before and after the patients, many protocols have been discussed including –

-simple only natural ventilation with min. 6 air changes per hour (ACH) of 60 min
-HEPA 13/14 air filters with min 12 ACH
-Disinfectant defogging of 30-45 min or
-Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) plus ventilation of 2 min to 6 hours depending upon wattage of the light source, room size and UV light position in the room

Among these different types, UV-C disinfection has gained favour due to its efficacy against a broad range of microbial and viral agents in a variety of environments.

What is ultraviolet light?

Ultraviolet (UV) is that part of electromagnetic light bounded by the lower wavelength extreme of the visible spectrum and the X-ray radiation band. The spectral range of UV light is, by definition between 100 and 400 nm (1 nm=10-9m) and is invisible to human eyes.

Using the CIE classification the UV spectrum is subdivided into three bands:

  1. UVA (long-wave) from 315 to 400 nm
  2. UVB (medium-wave) from 280 to 315 nm
  3. UVC (short-wave) from 100 to 280 nm

UVC is totally absorbed by atmospheric ozone, has minimal penetration to the surface of the Earth and thus has little effect on human health. 90% or more of UVB is absorbed by atmospheric ozone, while UVA passes through the atmosphere with little change. Thus, the solar ultraviolet radiation of importance to human health consists of UVA and UVB. However, UVC can be created artificially by various means.

A strong germicidal effect is provided by the Light in the short-wave UVC band. In addition erythema and conjunctivitis can also be caused by this form of Light. Because of this, when germicidal UV-Light lamps are used, it is important to design systems to exclude UVC leakage and so avoid these effects.

Self-evidently, people should avoid exposure to UVC. Fortunately, this is relatively simple, because it is absorbed by most products, and even standard flat glass absorbs all UVC.

Again fortuitously, UVC is mostly absorbed by dead skin, so erythema can be limited. In addition, UVC does not penetrate to the eye’s lens; nevertheless, conjunctivitis can occur and though temporary, it is extremely painful; the same is true of erythemal effects.

How does UVC destroy germs?

The high energy from short wavelength UVC light is absorbed in the cellular RNA and DNA, damaging nucleic acids and preventing microorganisms from infecting and reproducing.

UVC is strongly absorbed by RNA and DNA bases leading to molecular structural damage via a photodimerization process. This results in virus inactivation, such that they are no longer able to replicate.

The amount of inactivation is directly proportional to the UVC dose, which is received, and this, in turn, is the result of its intensity and duration of exposure. The farther away you keep an object from the light source, the less UVC will reach the target, so only a quarter of the UVC remains when the distance doubles.

The UV light emitted by a source is expressed in watts (W) and the irradiation density is expressed in watts per square meter (W/m2). For germicidal action dose is important. The dose is the irradiation density multiplied by the time (t) in seconds and expressed in joules per square meter (J/m2). (1 joule is 1W.second).

The most efficient source for generating UVC is the low-pressure mercury discharge lamp, where on average 35% of input watts is converted to UVC watts. The radiation is generated almost exclusively at 254 nm viz. at 85% of the maximum germicidal effect and 80% on IES curve.

Radiation wavelengths below 240 nm form ozone, O3 from oxygen in the air. Ozone is toxic and highly reactive; hence precautions have to be taken to avoid exposure to humans and certain materials.

Good brands in the market like- Philips’ low-pressure tubular fluorescent ultraviolet (TUV) lamps have an envelope of special glass that filters out ozone-forming radiation. Hence, Ozone is almost not formed.

Why UVC?

Unlike other techniques, UVC photolysis rarely produces potentially dangerous by-products. Air has a low absorption coefficient and hence allows UVC to attack micro-organisms present

UVC radiation has been found very effective on Coronavirus family. Of course, every method of sterilization has its pros and cons.

A few are listed in the table below:

Pros for UV Sterilization Cons for UV Sterilization
It is convenient to use and no chemicals are needed. Therefore, you won’t leave any chemical residue behind. UVC is dangerous to humans. Remember to avoid direct exposure to UVC, especially skin and eyes.
It is able to kill all kinds of microorganisms, including drug-resistant bacteria, fungi, viruses, spores It has a major limit! UV only works in its light path and can be blocked by objects. Make sure that the object you want to sterilize, is kept directly in line with the UV light. You can minimize this issue by using multiple UV bulbs to generate UV irradiation from different angles.

Since UVGI has been proven technique without any residue and quicker option especially between patients, ‘UVC Tower’ – consisting of UV C source was conceptualised.

UVC Tower has 2 UVC tube light of 40 watts each fitted vertically. UVC Tower is on the wheels and hence can be moved anywhere. Typically, you can move it to all corners of the room and achieve comprehensive disinfection.

How to avoid human irradiation from the UVC?

To avoid human irradiation with UVC, a delayed timer has been added. It can be set from 10 sec- 1min. The operator can switch on UVC Tower with pre-decided timer settings and can comfortably move out of the operatory. E.g. You set 15-sec delay onset. Switch on the unit. And move out of the operatory. UVC Tower will switch on only after 15 sec pre-set delay giving enough time to the operator to move out of the operatory.

We can preset timing of UV irradiation. While some of the bacteria, fungi may take several minutes to get inactivated, coronaviruses take about 2- 3 minutes. Now, this can be the major advantage over other methods especially while disinfecting the operatory between 2 patients as one can start with the next patient within minutes saving vital clinical time!
Since UV C Tower is on the wheels, it can be moved to different corners of the room. The same single unit can be used between multiple operatories, passage, waiting-reception area, consultation area disinfection.
There are numerous studies which show that UV C can be very effectively used to sterilise PPE including coverall, N 95 masks!

What is the advantage of Dontics UVC Tower over rooftop UV light fitting?

Inverse Square law:

Ultraviolet light is an electromagnetic wave. 254 nM wavelength light (253.7, more specifically) has inherent energy, which would have an impact on whatever it touches. Just like any other light, even UVC light gets dimmer and dimmer, the farther you move away from the source. The reduction in intensity or power-drop happens very quickly. The simple formula for how fast this energy drops is calculated by power divided by the resultant quantity of distance away from the source raised to the second power (Ed = P/(d^2). Take a look at the graph. Every UVC system has to deal with this rule of physics.

Starting with a "100%" energy value, the energy at four feet is, incredibly, reduced to "6.3%" of the original energy! At ten feet, the energy is only 1% of the initial energy. The key point is that distance matters. The best results of UVC energy happen in fairly close proximity to the target object(s). So, key point one: "Get the dose close."

Rooftop fittings are fixed at one place. Hence radiation does not reach in shadow areas effectively compromising on disinfection.

Distance is an extremely important factor in the efficiency of UV sterilisation. As the distance doubles, radiation weakens to only 1/4th energy. The typical height of a room is 9-10 feet. So a UVC tube source close to the roof will have to cover min. 9-16(diagonal to opposite floor corner of the room) feet of distance.

Typical 40-watt UVC tube source has sufficient radiation up to 6 feet to kill organisms. A central standing UVC Tower can easily irradiate 12x12 feet room very effectively!

Other sources like 20-watt tube can irradiate only up to 2.5 feet and lesser power UVC sources can be effective only for a few inches.
Rooftop tubes have a throw of only 180 degrees losing energy on the wall. UV light loses it’s energy drastically when it hits the wall or any surface and has poor reflection properties for most of the materials. (except aluminium, Chromium etc.) However, both UVC Tower light sources have 240-degree throw giving complete 360-degree powerful coverage.

Also, the dental chair is usually closer to the centre of the clinic around which can be maximum viral load. Keeping Dontics UVC Tower close to the chair gives a maximum dose of UVC radiation in the most required area.

What if I keep the weaker UV source for a longer period?

Long hours exposure of mild UVC can reduce the life of plastics, mica and many other products. Dark coloured things may lose/fade their colour and whiter things get yellower.

UVC Tower is a quick method and hence saving on precious furniture and dental equipment

How do you calculate irradiation time for SARS CoV-2?

We do not know the exact irradiation time needed for SARS CoV-2. However, here is a table for other types of coronaviruses having the potential to infect humans

Table: Summary of UV light studies on Coronaviruses

Microbe D90 dose (exposure) required Source
Coronavirus 7 J/m2 Walker 2007
Berne virus (Coronaviridae) 7 J/m2 Weiss 1986
Murine Coronavirus (MHV) 15 J/m2 Hirano 1978
Canine Coronavirus (CCV) 29 J/m2 Saknimit 1988
Murine Coronavirus (MHV) 29 J/m2 Saknimit 1988
SARS Coronavirus CoV-P9 40 J/m2 Duan 2003
Murine Coronavirus (MHV) 103 J/m2 Liu 2003
SARS Coronavirus (Hanoi) 134 J/m2 Kariwa 2004
SARS Coronavirus (Urbani) 241 J/m2 Darnell 2004
Average 67 J/m2

The table above summarises the results of studies that have been performed on Coronaviruses under ultraviolet light exposure, with the specific species indicated in each case. The D90 value indicates the ultraviolet dose for 90% inactivation.

So even if we compare SARS CoV-2 to highest D90 dose of SARS coronavirus (Urbani),
Desired direct exposure time in seconds is:
Exposure_time = Desired_UV_dose (multiplied by) 4 (multiplied by) pi (multiplied by) (UV_bulb_distance)^2 )/ UV_bulb_power
Units

So, Exposure time= 241 J/m2 (x) 4 (x) 3.14 (x) 1.8 /80 = 68 seconds.

Even if you consider air resistance, tube curvature energy loss, tube temperature and other factors are taken into consideration, it is wise to double irradiation time to 136 seconds i.e. close to 2.5 minutes should be good enough to eradicate most of SARS CoV-2. I am talking about only SARS CoV-2 here. Many other organisms may need a higher dose of UVC radiation, which is not a topic of discussion in this article.

Advantages of DONTICS UVC Tower:

-Quick 2-3 min powerful UV disinfection
-Movable trolley. So reaches to all corners of the clinic. Only one machine for all operatories, reception, lobby, consultation room, pantry etc!
- No residue, no mess. Easy to stack it in a corner
- A delayed timer to avoid any human exposure
-Variable Timer for various needs
-Buzzer signal at the end of the session

 

We all have to learn to live in this post COVID era until we have effective mass-scale vaccination or herd immunity in place. We have to take extra precautions and DONTICS UVC Tower can be of great help to minimise the viral load from our operatories especially between 2 patients saving precious clinical time without any side effects and appears to be the invisible solution to the invisible pandemic!!

References:

  1. Xian Peng, Xin Xu, Yuqing Li, Lei Cheng, Xuedong Zhou and Biao Ren Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice Internal journal of Oral Science,2020 12:9
  2. To, K. K.-W. et al. Consistent detection of 2019 novel coronavirus in saliva., Clin. Infect. Diseases https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa149 (2020)
  3. https://www.ushio.com/files/specifications/germicidal-low-pressure-mercury-arc.pdf
  4. Derraik et al. – SARS-CoV-2 evidence & double-hit PPE reuse protocol
  5. Lindblad, M., Tano, E., Lindahl, C., & Huss, F. (2019). Ultraviolet-C decontamination of a hospital room: Amount of UV light needed. Burns.doi:10.1016/j.burns.2019.10.004
  6. M.M. Nerandzic, J.L. Cadnum, M.J. Pultz, C.J. DonskeyEvaluation of an automated ultraviolet radiation device for decontamination of Clostridium difficile and other healthcare-associated pathogens in hospital rooms
    BMC Infect Dis, 10 (2010), p. 197
  7. W. KowalskiUVGI safety: Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation handbook, Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (2009)
  8. M.M. Nerandzic, C.W. Fisher, C.J. DonskeySorting through the wealth of options: comparative evaluation of two ultraviolet disinfection systems. PLoS One, 9 (2014), Article e107444
  9. W.A. Rutala, M.F. Gergen, D.J. WeberRoom decontamination with UV radiation. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 31 (2010), pp. 1025-1029
  10. Boyce, J. M., Farrel, P. A., Towle, D., Fekieta, R., & Aniskiewicz, M. (2016). Impact of Room Location on UV-C Irradiance and UV-C Dosage and Antimicrobial Effect Delivered by a Mobile UV-C Light Device. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 37(06), 667–67
  11. Li, Q. et al. Early transmission dynamics in Wuhan, China, of novel coronavirus–infected pneumonia. N.Engl.J.Med. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2001316 (2020).
  12. Wu, F. et al. A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2008-3 (2020).
  13. Zhou, P. et al. A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2012-7 (2020).
  14. Ultraviolet purification application information Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. 3222 635 61801 11/06
  15. www.uv-light.co.uk/coronavirus

 

FAQs:

1. What is Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI)?

UVGI is a method of disinfection that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light (UV-C) to inactivate or kill microorganisms and pathogens. Essentially, UVGI is the use of UV light with sufficiently short wavelengths to disinfect surfaces, air, and water. UVGI has been recommended or used by the United States Army, the CDC, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) , WHO, our very own DRDO and Institute of Virology, Pune, most of the laboratories use UV C radiation commonly to kill the microbes effectively. Our home water purifiers commonly use UVC lights.

2. Can UV radiation damage my skin, eyes and lead to cancer?

UV light with wavelengths less than 290nm are considered to have “germicidal” properties. Earth’s atmosphere absorbs ultramagnetic radiation with wavelengths less than 290nm, meaning that most of the UV-C and UV-B generated by the sun is blocked by our planet’s ozone.

The distinction should be made between the biological effect and the penetration depth of UV radiation, a key concept in UVGI safety. 

Eye: The cornea absorbs almost all ultraviolet radiation below 295 nm. This includes all UVC and most UVB light. The natural crystalline lens absorbs most light near UVB (300–315 nm) and all UVA light.

Skin: UV-C wavelengths are the most biologically active radiation and, ironically, much less dangerous to humans. This is because UV-C radiation is absorbed by the outer dead layer of human skin, while UV-B and UV-A radiation penetrate deeper. While attention to UVGI safety is important, because ‘overexposure’ to 254 nm i.e. UVC radiation can readily cause erythema (“sunburn”) to the skin and photokeratitis (“welder's flash”) to the eyes, the long-term health risks are considered to be negligible compared with common solar UV exposures which has UVA and UVB. 

Therefore it is strongly advocated to move out of the area of artificial UVC irradiation sources like tubelights, lamps etc. There should not be any direct exposure to the light. Reflected light usually loses majority of UVC and consists of visible light mainly, hence safer.

Any device that takes care of this problem by adding a variable delay timer can be of great help. You can set 1 to 90-second delay depending upon time needed for you to vacate the room.

3. How do you decide the effectiveness of germicidal light?

The effectiveness of germicidal UV light depends on the length of time a microorganism is exposed to UV, as well as the intensity and wavelength of the UV radiation source (lamp).

4. Can UV-C damage plastic, furniture or other equipment?

If you remember, old white equipment used to turn yellow over a period of time. That is due to UV exposure from natural light.  Now All good companies test their equipment for UV exposure. I have myself seen such UV exposure tests in many company's factories. UVC light is being used in hospitals, operation theatres for decades together. Hospitals also have expensive delicate equipment. Having said this, UVC can damage such materials if the exposure time is too long. Avoid overnight UVC lamps.

5. Is it ok to leave UV light overnight? If not a great option, what is the time required to kill the germs?

It depends upon what watt of light it is. If it is a very weak light, then it can be ok. But such 36-watt tube lights, no ways! 

It will fade all furniture, the mica will start coming out of plywood. All equipment will start losing colour. Plastics will lose life. 

The time spans required to kill various bacteria, fungi, spores and viruses are different. Usually, 15 min is more than enough in a 12 x 12 feet operatory to kill/ inactivate all forms of micro life with 72 watt light.

While some bacteria, spores, fungi take longer to inactivate, for most of the coronaviruses, 3 min UV-C exposure is enough in 12x12 feet room

6Why does the room smell different after UV irradiation? Is it safe for me to enter the room immediately?

Human occupancy of a room normally generates higher concentrations of dust. This dust is mainly made of human dead skin and hair (80%), which consist of keratin and cysteine molecules. When you run UV-C in the room for a few minutes, high energy UV-C photons break-up these molecules into thiol molecules which have a very low smell threshold. The human nose can detect thiols at concentrations as low as 1 part per billion. Some of the resulting broken pieces of molecules of skin and hair in the dust following intense UV photon bombardment will have sulfur-containing thiols leading to the unpleasant pungent smell of burning hair or flesh.

The resulting potential concentrations of thiol molecules are negligible as compared to the published acceptable exposure limits; it is safe to enter a room after germicidal UV disinfection has been performed.

7. What happens if we look at the UVC light (accidentally)?

Accidental look at the light from few feet distance is ok. You don't stare at it for long. If at all, conjunctivitis is the complication. Eye lens does not let UVC penetrate easily. So accidental glare is ok. Again, distance is an important factor.

8. Can we look at the light through a glass door from another room? I have glass partitions between operatories. Can I continue working while UVC tower is on in another room?  Is it safe?

UVC is very high energy light with a shorter wavelength, however, it loses it’s energy faster than UVA and UVB. That's how it does not even reach the earth surface. Most of it is filtered out by the Ozone layer.

Likewise, it cannot even pass-through normal glass. It loses its energy.

You can look at it through the glass door or wall safely! The light that passes through the glass is basically blue light minus UVC.

9. I can see blue light coming out of my glass partition. Am I being irradiated by UV light?

The most efficient source for generating UVC is the low-pressure mercury discharge lamp, where on average 35% of input watts is converted to UVC watts. The radiation is generated almost exclusively at 254 nm.

UVC light does not pass through glass. It loses its energy as it hits the glass surface. It is visible violet-blue light which passes through the glass. Don’t worry. You are safe!

10. Many UV light devices do not have any transparent glass or plastic protection. Why?

UVC light loses it’s germicidal energy as it falls on glass or transparent plastic casing. For the same reason, many devices have no glass protection! If there is a glass cover, the device loses its purpose. The UVC Tubes must not be covered with anything.

11. I am getting many options of 11, 15W tubes which are 1-1.5 feet. There are 2-4 tubes in the unit. Will this work?

The number of tubes doesn’t matter for the distance UVC covers. The intensity of each tube matters more. Hence it is recommended to use higher wattage tubes like 36/40 watt to cover at least 6 feet radius

12. Are UV Lighting and UVGI the same thing?

In short, UVGI is a specific method of sterilization that uses UV lighting. In essence, UV lighting is a component of UVGI. UVGI is just one method of sterilization/decontamination using lighting, though, so we like to refer to is as UV disinfection lighting to encompass more than just the one UVGI method. When we say UV disinfection lighting, we mean any UV lighting that can be used in many applications to kill germs.

13. UV is known to degenerate the polypropylene from which the mask is made. Is it ok to irradiate PPE?

UVC can degenerate polypropylene masks or PPEs. However, this takes time and long exposure. Research shows we can irradiate and reuse PPE about 4 times with UV light safely before we discard.

14. Will ozone help or pose a problem for me in the clinic?

Some companies are selling UV light with options of ozone formation to kill the bacteria also.

Ozone producing tubes are in fact cheaper. To stop ozone production, you have to filter out wavelength below 240nm.

That makes ozone free tubes more expensive. Although ozone is germicidal, it is harmful to health. You have to clear it from the air. It takes 45 min to remove ozone from the room. When UVC is germicidal already what is the point in increasing the time?

15. Are UV lights risky because they cause cancer? Is Retinal injury possible?

We get tanned due to UV exposure when we go out in sunlight. Can we get tanned at home? No. Do we get a sunburn at home? No!

Likewise, UV light is dangerous only when we are exposed to it. It’s a light, electromagnetic wave! So, you switch it off and its side effects are not there anymore! UVA and UVB have much higher penetrative power than UVC.

UVC light does not pass through the eye lens. So do not worry about accidental exposure.

16. How much distance would this light penetrate and disinfect the clinical setup? How do I use UVC Tower?

It depends upon the heating time of the tube, brand, how old it is and wattage. Some UVC devices that use 36/40watt germicidal tubes recommend a 6-8 feet range. I calculate it at 6 feet only. So enough for a 12x12 room.

36W tubes are approximately 3 feet long. As the tube is longer, there will be less shadowing as compared to short 1.5 feet tubes. 

The whole unit is 4feet+ tall. So closer to the roof than short units and hence better irradiation up there.

To bring down shadowing further, one can keep in 2 opposite sides of the room and irradiate for 2-3 min each. It is strongly recommended to keep air circulation on (like a fan, air purifier) while a UVC device is working. This will help us irradiate air from all the areas. UVC at this power still remains the quickest method to irradiate rooms.

17. According to me, washrooms/ restrooms are the worst affected places in the clinic. Can we use a UVC device there?

Absolutely! Patients, clinic staff, doctors pass body fluids in the washrooms. There will be splatter. They gargle, clean hands, mouth, nose there. A lot of aerosol droplets are generated. And the same washroom is used by other patients as well as clinic staff. UVC can be quick disinfection option! As washrooms are much smaller than clinic rooms, disinfection is quicker! 

18. What is the advantage of devices kept on the floor as compared to rooftop UV light fitting?

Inverse Square law:

Ultraviolet light is an electromagnetic wave. 254 nM wavelength light (253.7, more specifically) has inherent energy, the energy that has an impact on what it touches. Just like any other, getting dimmer and dimmer the farther away from the source you are, the same thing happens with UVC light. The reduction in intensity, or power, drops very quickly. The simple formula for how fast this energy drops is power divided by the resultant quantity of distance away from the source raised to the second power (Ed = P/(d^2). Take a look at the graph above.

Every UVC system has to deal with this rule of physics.

Starting with a "100%" energy value, the energy at four feet is, incredibly, reduced to "6.3%" of the original energy! At ten feet, the energy is only 1% of the initial energy. The key point is that distance matters. The best results of UVC energy happen in fairly close proximity to the target object(s). So, key point one: "Get the dose close."

Rooftop fittings are fixed at one place. Hence radiation does not reach in shadow areas effectively compromising on disinfection.

Distance is an extremely important factor in the efficiency of UV sterilisation. As the distance doubles, radiation weakens to only 1/4th energy. The typical height of a room is 9-10 feet. So a UVC tube source close to the roof will have to cover min. 9-16(diagonal to opposite floor corner of the room) feet of distance. 

A typical 40-watt UVC tube source has sufficient radiation up to 6 feet to kill organisms. A centrally standing device can easily irradiate 12x12 feet room very effectively!

Other sources like 20-watt tube can irradiate only up to 2.5 feet and lesser power UVC sources can be effective only for few inches.

Rooftop tubes have a throw of only 180 degrees losing energy on the wall. UV light loses it’s energy drastically when it hits the wall or any surface and has poor reflection properties for most of the materials. (except aluminium, Chromium etc.) Also, a dental chair is usually closer to the centre of the clinic around which can be maximum viral load. 

19. What if I keep a weaker UV source for a longer period? Will it give the same effect?

Long hours exposure of mild UVC can reduce the life of plastics, mica and many other products. Dark coloured things may lose/fade their colour and whiter things get yellower. 

20. Will UVC light damage my dental equipment?

UVC light does not penetrate most of the surfaces. UVC light is being used in hospitals, Operation theatres and laboratories for decades with equally valuable equipment as dental clinics have! 

 

Author:

Dr Ajay Bajaj completed his BDS from GDC and MDS from Nair Hospital Dental College, in 2002, both from Mumbai University. He was awarded 'The best postgraduate student National award' for his dedication and innovations then. Micro-endodontist by profession, Dr Ajay has worked with almost all organisations. He is Co-founder of Endo-scope, the endodontic training society. He has trained 26,000+ dentists in more than 13 countries in 390+ lectures, courses. He has numerous publications in his name. His innovative nature has always helped dentists in the profession to solve the problems.

 

 

 

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49 thoughts on “How to use Ultraviolet light (UVC) to fight COVID-19 effectively in dental clinics: Dr Ajay Bajaj

  1. Dibya Nathan says:

    Hello , am Dibya Nathan , a student biomedical engineering I have loved this educative article Currently , we’re also in the stages of developing a Washroom UVC disinfection machine Any piece of advice about the project

  2. Rajendra Sharma says:

    We have made it prototype 10 samples. Mass production is on the way soon. Er. Rajendra Sharma 9927336201

  3. DineshKumar Bhaskaran says:

    A Very Interesting and Good Piece Of Info given calculating precise details . Pls contact me to give further details of Procuring the same . Thanks

  4. mukesh gupta says:

    Hi Sir , Please suggest how we get this product in Agra ( U.P) India

  5. Shelly Ashta says:

    Please let me the contact number or email of the supplier

  6. Jairaj Mistry says:

    I want to buy Three sets.

  7. DR.M.SUJESH says:

    How to contact supplier? Contact number please

  8. Nilay says:

    Can 11 watt tube be effective to kill coronavirus from 2.5 ft distance in box.

  9. R.Sabarikanth says:

    We have developed and patented UVC LED for use of these to treat corona especially with special tool for dental purpose. Which will highly effective

  10. Dr. R.S.Swami says:

    please use LED UVC devise as United Nations Environment Program convened to ban Mercury containing UVC units, effective from 2020

  11. DR LEENA DOSHI says:

    hi,wud like to have more details of the UVC tower.kidnly mail the details.
    rgds
    Dr.Doshi

  12. Er. Sanjeeva Kumar says:

    Fantastic explanation connecting the technicality of the Optic UVC nature and applications regard. Nicely captured all around the UVGI part.

  13. Dr. Prerna says:

    What is the price of the product and how do we procure it?

  14. Barbara Bustamante says:

    Thanks for such a clear and practical explanation. I am a general dentist in Guatemala. We are at the peak of covid-19 infections without clear mitigation measures and in need to work. Thank you very much for helping me reduce risks for my patients, staff and myself.

  15. Dr pankaj savla says:

    What is the price for this? And how long those tubes last? When do we change and from where can we procure the tubes

  16. Özden GÖk says:

    Hello!
    I am interested with UVC Tower.I’m from Turkey.Please would you send me details about
    how to reach and the price of this product.
    Thank you.

  17. Soumendu Bhattacharya says:

    Where to get the device?

  18. Sinead Corrigan says:

    Whats the best brand to buy

  19. Sathyadeep says:

    Sir, a 40watt bulb has a uv output of only 4.9 watt. Most uv lights convert just 30-35% of power into uv light.
    So you may have to increase the duration of exposure or add some more tube-lights.

  20. SHYAM says:

    S M A GLOBAL HAS LAUNCHED UVC TOWR LIGHT MOVABLE TYOE FOR HOSPITAL ROOM DISINFECTION .

    if any one interested in buying can contact @ 9654580408/7011415022 and email- info.smaglobal@gmail.com

  21. Daniel says:

    How can I purchase the unit?

  22. Dr Heena says:

    Hello Sir
    please tell me where to buy this from?
    whats the cost
    My contact no 9971666390

  23. Dr Jigish Gandhi says:

    Interested in Dontics UVC sterilizing towers. Call or email me when ready with the product.

    Dr Gandhi
    Mob. 09820092806
    Mumbai

  24. Suresh shah says:

    I am interested. I have negative ion chamber .will UVC is helpful to me?

  25. Chitradeep says:

    I have my operatory at Kolkata and I am willing to purchase it. Please provide me with the details

  26. F. says:

    There is an error in your calculation. Can you reference where you got the formula from?

  27. Nice information. For all the UV related issues, please contact us. visit our website , http://www.shamashaindia.com

  28. rajesh vyas says:

    Dear SIr ,just I read that 200-207nm UVC are more effective as it has no effect on human but kills virus,
    while your shown tubelight is of mercury may be giving higher nm waves ,kindly suggest whether to have Kr-Br or Hg bulb for far UVC ,
    regards,

  29. Dr Savita Sabnis says:

    I am at Bangalore,Do you have any distributor here? And may I know the cost?

  30. Very interested in this product.
    Do you have a UK distributor?
    What price point would you consider?

  31. Costas Hatjigiorgis DDS, MS says:

    Please tell me where it can be purchased in Europe and approximate cost.
    Thanks

  32. Dr B Venkat Reddi says:

    Price

  33. Terry Rowland says:

    Where can I buy this?
    What is the price?
    Lead time for receiving this in the United States

  34. DR GAGANDEEP SINGH says:

    Informative article dr bajaj , what is the cost for an operatory measuring about 120 sq ft , availability in delhi , time involved for fixing and most importantly cost ?

  35. We can supply replacement lamp for this.

  36. Shweta Bhatnagar says:

    What is the price and where can I get it

  37. Dr Saptarshi Datta says:

    What is the price approx? Where I can get it?

  38. We have developed a machine that is filtered of fine dust before the viruses pass through the UV-C lamp!

    this is how you tackle multiple problems!

    we mainly use these machines in hospitals, but also schools, offices and various public spaces.

    if you like more information please send us an e-mail. robbin.huisman@max-vac.com

  39. Dr Colonel Jeevan says:

    How do we procure this. What is the cost.

  40. Dr Imran Ahmed says:

    Hello Dr Ajay,
    Just wanted to ask that how much side effect we can expect? My Research was also on disinfection of burs. Is it true that direct exposure is required , what about areas which does not get direct exposure. And kindly also tell me about Spermicidal effect of this UV on us.

  41. Pradeep bhosle says:

    Nice we are also developing a hand held sanitation wand using UV-C
    Can you support us for developing the same

    Our contact details
    Vaishanavi elexo pvt Ltd ambernath
    7378929309
    Whatsapp no 9665463789

  42. Dr Sushmitha says:

    Where is it available, how to procure it and the cost of it.

  43. Ramesh Gupta says:

    We are having Warehouse storing Medicines packed in corrugated boxes.
    A/c and Non A/c area both
    We want to put UV systems for disinfecting.
    If it works pls depute your technical person.
    We are from Hyderabad, Telangana State, India
    Mob no. +919849037433

  44. Ramesh Gupta says:

    We are having Warehouse storing Medicines packed in corrugated boxes.
    A/c and Non A/c area both
    We want to put UV systems for disinfecting.
    If it works pls depute your technical person.
    We are from Hyderabad, Telangana State, India

  45. Aleksander Kovacic says:

    Hello,
    Price for UVC tower ?

  46. Dr. Divya Sharma says:

    Good innovation sir.
    Is it possible for the company to get a certification done from NIV for it’s virucidal effect on SARS-COV2? The lab is doing testing for such innovative products

  47. Veerendra Darakh says:

    Is there any way to measure the intensity of the UVC light after a few month sof use so that we are sure that we are getting the right dose of light ?

  48. Dr Javed Sayyed Chand says:

    Ajay sir read the article , just one query what if we keep mirrors infront of uv tower , will we get the same intensity uv light and if this is the case we can double the dose of uv and at the same time can cover more area also , just a doubt

  49. Good morning Dr Bajaj, really liked the product sir.. I have been following your venture lately. I believe you plan to launch the lights soon, what would be the price point? Thanks. My only concern is the light doesn’t reach all the nooks and crannies of the clinic, especially those areas which have another object placed on top of it. I saw Xenex, a company which specialises in UV for hospitals and clinics, no idea if they can solve it too, unless there is some handheld object to cover each and every area, which is difficult with this system of disinfection. But the future looks promising. My best wishes.

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