As society tries to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic, some scientists hope a decades-old technology could zap pathogens out of the air in stores, restaurants and classrooms, potentially playing a key role in containing further spread of the infection.

It has the ungainly name of upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, and it is something like bringing the power of sunlight indoors.

Ultraviolet light mangles the genetic material in pathogens — DNA in bacteria and fungi, RNA in viruses — preventing them from reproducing. “You’ve killed it essentially,” said William Bahnfleth, a professor of architectural engineering at Pennsylvania State University.

Over the past few months, it has been shown that exposure to UV lighting can help to slow the spread of the virus  thereby killing it faster. A form of natural UV light comes from the sun which is why our society has been encouraged to spend more time outside. However, during workday and school year, that is not always a possibility.  

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.

The ultraviolet light works by penetrating the DNA of coronaviruses before killing it through radiation within 90 seconds.

James Devereux, managing director of a company that has supplied dental solutions for UK dental practices for many years, said dental surgeries are particularly at disadvantage due to the type of work they do with procedures - potentially leaving coronavirus lingering in the air for up to three hours.

This has prompted the government to insist on one hour gaps - known as fallow times - between appointments so surgeries can clean and prevent the spread of the virus.

“The government dictating fallow times is killing dental surgeries commercially,” Mr Devereux said.

Recognizing this, UVC lamp maker Wavelane Technology is taking a leadership role in creating a pathogen elimination response to this global challenge. Its patented eletrodeless UVC technology helps protect dentists by reducing surface contamination and creating air disinfection methods to help contain delineated safe breathing zones. CK1000 UVC sterilizer, the latest uv disinfection product from Wavelane, could reduce fallow time in some dental surgeries from 60 minutes to just 60 seconds.

You just need turn on a small stainless steel machine and leave the room and within two minutes everything is clean.

Skjalg Johnsen, who runs the Clarendon Dental Practice, said: “Before we had to clean the surgery and wait an hour between appointments - it was very difficult for us.”

“We were getting to the point where we didn’t know what to do. Patients were expecting to see us. It looked like we were going to have to work all hours to see everyone.”

“But the technology offered a way around the problem so we didn’t need to have one hour fallow times - it has saved us.”

“We put the machine on in two different positions to make sure it reaches all areas of the room.”

“After waiting outside for two minutes it is finished having killed all bacteria and viruses.”

He added: “It has been scientifically proven for decades that ultraviolet light kills germs but the ozone gas has now been blocked out which is why it was not used before.”

“Even after Covid-19 I will keep using ck1000 uv germicidal lamp because it keeps my staff and patients safe.”

Besides dentistry, UVC lamps is also helping hotel industry fight against coronavirus. For guests checking into a hotel, they might be staying in rooms that have been disinfected by UVC light.

"We really shifted our focus to investing in latest disinfection technologies to further protect our guests and staff more than we already were," Amir Lopez, one of the hotel's executives in Poland, told us. “In addition to the rooms themselves, guests' luggage and packages will also be sanitized using the UV lamp.”

Recently, the CMA laboratory tested CK1000 UVC sterilizer against SARS-COV2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The patented electrode-less microwave-powered tubes of CK1000 emit a massive 5mj/cm2 of  UVC energy which can inactivate SARS-Cov-2 within 6 seconds at one meter distance. CK1000 UVC sterilizer ensures the whole room is irradiated as quickly as possible and it can finish disinfection of 50㎡ area within 7.5 min.

Although the new school year is months away, plans, such as purchasing UV lamp, are in the works right now to make sure the coronavirus doesn’t interrupt the classroom again. When students return to Wilson Municipal School, it’ll feel a lot different.

According to Superintendent Harper Smith, the district has medically fragile students at each campus, and keeping frequently touched surfaces in classrooms clean and sanitized will be a difficult task for custodial staff.

"We know we will need to clean and sanitize more frequently, so we found the best equipment to help our staff keep our building clean for our students," he said.

"As a member of the Wilson Municipal Schools Board of  Education, and even more so as a mom to children attending school, I would like to see schools open as safely as possible. After much research, the board has chosen to purchase the most effective and safest machines to help keep our facilities as clean and sanitized as possible for our students and staff. We, as a board, want to do whatever we can to make our students and staff feel safe at school, and I believe these machines will help us accomplish this goal," said board member David Gill.

Advantages of  Wavelane CK1000 UVC sterilizer:

-Efficient.It takes only 7.5min to disinfect 50㎡ room.

-Movable. Easy to move it to any corner of the clinic.

-Suitable for large space. One machine is enough for disinfection of office, classroom, clinic, hotel, etc.

- No harmful residue.

- Long lifetime. Up to 50,000 hours, almost 10 times over normal UV tube.

- 12s delay switch which keepspeoplefrom exposure to UV.

-Variable timer for various needs.

- "Ding"signal at the end of disinfection.

For more information about Wavelane CK1000 UVC sterilizer, please visit www.wavelane-uvdisinfection.com

Company: Zhuzhou Wavelane Technology Co., Ltd.

Contact: Darren Wang

Tellphone: +8613537682127

Email: wangchungen@megmeet.com

Website: https://www.wavelane-uvdisinfection.com