17 July 2020
BY BRANDSBRIDGE
More Companies Are Turning To Ultraviolet Rays To Fight Viruses
Source: Molekule.science
It may sound like something out of a Sci-fi movie but Ultraviolet ray is the latest weapon companies are using to fight harmful microorganisms in the current pandemic situation. The COVID-19 outbreak has brought a significant impact on many industries all over the world with many businesses such as air travel, hotels, and other tourism-related companies being the worst hit by the pandemic. With many countries practicing stricter controls on cross border travel and safe distancing measures, we are seeing a rise in retail and F&B businesses winding up due to a substantial drop in earnings in light of the bleak economic outlook and continual downward spiral of the economy.
There are many ways businesses can adopt to increase their competitiveness and weather through this storm, for example; they can increase customers’ confidence with the use of Ultraviolet light and steriliser related equipment in their shops to protect both the customer and staff against the spread of Covid-19 within their premises.
UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C
When people think of ultraviolet rays, the first thing that comes to mind is the ultraviolet rays from the sun. We could have sun damage to our skin for as little as 15 minutes of fun under the sun, as such it is common to see many advertisements promoting the use of sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, premature aging and other harmful effects from the sun.
All UV radiation has the potential to damage your skin, but each type affects our skin differently.
How Does Ultraviolet (UV-C) Sterilisation Work?
Ultraviolet technology has been in use for more than 50 years and its effectiveness has been widely documented scientifically.
Ultraviolet (UV-C) changes the micro-organisms (germs, bacteria, and viruses) DNA structure, making it incapable of reproducing. If a cell cannot reproduce, it is considered dead or “inactivated”.
Using Ultraviolet Rays to Kill HFMD, Viruses and Other Harmful Microorganisms
Source: Wyckomar UV Inactivation Chart
Ultraviolet rays can kill viruses and many microscopic organisms. Studies have shown that ultraviolet sterilisation can kill Hand, Foot & Mouth viruses (Coxsackie A) at a minimum dosage of 6.9 mJ/cm2 and other common bacteria like E. Coli that causes food poisoning at a minimum dosage of 8.6 mJ/cm2.
UV sterilisation tests done on 2 common bacteria which cause food poisoning have shown that 99.99% of bacteria were eliminated after going through 30 mins of UV-C sterilisation process.
Though there has not been any extensive research yet on whether UV-C can specifically kill Covid-19 virus, studies have shown that UV-C is effective against other coronaviruses such as SARS. The radiation warps the structure of their genetic material and prevents viral particles from making more copies of themselves.
Some Examples of Ultraviolet (UV-C) Sterilisation Uses
Ultraviolet (UV-C) disinfection has been widely used over the years in a variety of applications eg. air and water purification, sewage treatment, protection of food and beverages, and many other usages as shown below.
Benefits of Ultraviolet (UV-C) Sterilisation
UV sterilisation process is only optimal at 254 nanometers. Some of the benefits of UV-C sterilisation are:
- Environmentally friendly – Does not generate any harmful by-products
- Space-saving as compared to other sterilisation methods
- Easy to maintain and install on-site
- Affordable and value for money
- Safe and easy to use
Some Considerations of Ultraviolet (UV-C) Sterilisation
A bus is disinfected using UVC in Shanghai, China (Credit: Getty Images)
While using Ultraviolet sterilisation has its many benefits, there are also some precautions to take when engaging in such sterilisation method.
Man-made UV-C rays should not be exposed directly to the eyes and skin for an extended period of time as it will cause damage to the eyes and skin irritations / burns if exposed for prolonged periods.
With the recent Covid-19 pandemic occurring at such a global catastrophic scale, many countries are constantly looking at ways to effectively slow down the spread of the virus which to date has 11M reported cases and 530K deaths worldwide as of 4th July 2020.
Banks in China have resorted to using ultraviolet light or high temperatures to disinfect yuan bills and keep in storage for 14 days before recirculating them back to the public.
Hospitals, airplanes and other public transportation modes eg. buses and trains have also been using Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light to kill viruses, bacteria, and “superbugs on surfaces and in the surrounding air.”
In Singapore, over 200 autonomous robots with UV lights will be rolled out into shopping malls, healthcare, and transport sectors to disinfect areas in the global fight against the pandemic. This is 6 times faster than doing it manually.
Other Applications of Ultraviolet (UV-C) Sterilisers
Ultraviolet sterilisation is an effective solution with multiple applications for many industries.
For example;
- High-end jewellery / watch retail stores – To sterilise products after being handled by staff and customers
- Cosmetic retail stores – To sterilise makeup brushes / sponges samples
- Mobile phone stores – To sterilise mobile phones without damaging the product
- F&B outlets / central kitchens / food preparation sites – To achieve higher standard of hygiene and eliminate the risk of food poisoning through cross-contamination of kitchen utensils
Commercial Ultraviolet Sterilisation Equipment
Our partner, Maroon Connection is a Singapore-based company specialised in the commercial use ultraviolet sterilisation equipment. Their equipment uses state-of-the-art ultraviolet sterilisation technology, which is able to eliminate up to 99.99% of all bacteria and germs.
They offer a wide range of commercial use sterilisation equipment in different sizes that can easily sterilise kitchen utensils, toys, toothbrushes, over garments, foot wears, beauty salon tools and etc.
For more information you can visit their website at this link or email to contact@maroon-connection.com, to check out their range of products.
Good Space Planning and Layout is Vital
Use of UV sterilisation equipment is just one of many ways to prevent the spread of the prevailing Covid-19 virus. It must be implemented together with other good practices, for example; Safe Distancing Measures, Food Storage, and Food Preparation Hygiene. Efficient space planning and layout can help in facilitating crowd control and create customer flow, reducing the congestion, and minimise unintended physical interactions.
During this Covid-19 pandemic period, Brandsbridge has helped many businesses remodel their shop layout to comply with the guidelines recommended by the Health Authorities without comprising on the shopper’s utility. As the “Personal Bubble Space” increases, there is the need to create interior spaces to include universal cues to assist in creating comfortable social barriers without being distracting, obvious or non-approachable. If you wish to discuss with us on your upcoming project, simply call us at 6259 3522 or email at hello@brandsbridge.com
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