In a new study, researchers developed a UVC LED lighting system that can provide rapid, portable decontamination of shared spaces and high-touch surfaces.
They found that the system they developed, called the Apollo system, can effectively kill SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The system is now being used in a variety of applications including in conveyors that can decontaminate packages and as part of a system designed specifically to clean casino chips.
The research was conducted by a team at the University of Western Ontario in Canada.
Before the pandemic, their company, Lind Equipment, had focused almost exclusively on a robust portable LED lighting systems for the military, construction, and mining industries.
Looking for a way to contribute during the pandemic, they turned their attention toward UVC light—which had already been shown to eliminate viruses and bacteria.
Ultraviolet (UV) light is invisible to the human eye and exists on the electromagnetic wavelength. There are three types of UV light: UVA, UVB, and UVC.
UVC uses short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation to effectively kill microorganisms and to make bacteria and viruses inactive and unable to survive.
In the study, the team designed a way to incorporate UVC into an LED system.
They showed that the Apollo UVC LED decontamination light can kill the virus within 30 seconds at a two-foot distance and in less than eight seconds from one foot away.
In June, the Canadian government, as part of their Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program, put out a call for innovative Canadian-made solutions to help contain the COVID-19 crisis.
The Apollo light was approved for use at Global Affairs Canada to decontaminate work surfaces in their distribution center.
One researcher of the study is Brian Astl.
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