UV rays most-effective sanitising tool for zapping coronavirus | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Monday
May 29, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
MONDAY, MAY 29, 2023
UV rays most-effective sanitising tool for zapping coronavirus

Panorama

Musfequr Rahman
30 March, 2020, 02:10 pm
Last modified: 30 March, 2020, 02:15 pm

Related News

  • Coronavirus origins still a mystery 3 years into pandemic
  • Covid remains a public health emergency, says WHO
  • Potential China wave is 'wild card' for ending Covid emergency: WHO advisors
  • WHO chief hopes Covid will no longer be emergency next year
  • The Prof Writes: Covid-19 - The one that got away from us

UV rays most-effective sanitising tool for zapping coronavirus

Ultraviolet rays are being used at hospitals, in quarantines and isolation rooms at the epicentres of coronavirus outbreaks worldwide, as they can outsmart drug-resistant microbes without the use of toxic chemicals

Musfequr Rahman
30 March, 2020, 02:10 pm
Last modified: 30 March, 2020, 02:15 pm
Self-driving UV disinfection robots are used to sanitise hospitals Photo : Collected
Self-driving UV disinfection robots are used to sanitise hospitals Photo : Collected

Medical care centres, virology research institutes and restaurants, globally, have depended upon ultraviolet (UV) rays as the most reliable disinfection tool for years. Previously, large, industrial-grade machines were used in decontamination processes but these have now widely been replaced with smaller versions of UV sanitising tools. These are available, within the reach of consumers, to kill germs lurking on surfaces like mobile phones and public transportation handrails.

Through precise use of self-driving UV disinfection robots to sanitise hospitals in Wuhan – the epicentre of Covid-19 – the Chinese government applied one of its most acclaimed procedures to win over the virus. These robots helped Chinese medics defeat the invisible virus during the epidemic and ensure fewer casualties.

Adrienne Murray, BBC's technology of business reporter, writes that an UV-D robot takes about 20 minutes to disinfect a hospital room where a coronavirus patient was treated.

While navigating around a room, the self-driving machine – powered with six to eight bulbs – emits concentrated and highly-effective UV-C rays. These destroy microbes and pathogens, preventing them from multiplying by damaging their DNA and RNA. Such light can successfully sanitise hard-to-clean nooks and crannies of a room. The process is complete in 10-20 minutes.

The process causes a smell of burnt hair to permeate the air. These processes are mildly hazardous to humans, so as a precaution, they must wait outside the room.

Various studies have tested and confirmed the efficacy of varied ultraviolet lights. Among them, the most effective one UV-C light has a wavelength between 200 and 400 nanometers. It is highly effective at decontamination because it destroys the molecular bonds that hold together the DNA of viruses and bacteria. It even does so for superbugs, which have developed a stronger resistance to antibiotics, writes Katie Scarlett Brandt, a freelance writer for Insider and associate editor of the Chicago Health Magazine.

Non-toxic overhead UV lighting has been found to be effective in public spaces to reduce the transmission of diseases. Removing viruses using UV light is effective because it kills germs regardless of drug resistance and without toxic chemicals. It is also effective against all germs, even newly-emerging pathogen strains.    

Use of UV light while staying home

At-home methods of UV sanitation have been proven highly effective against pathogens and come in a variety of forms — including portable wands, phone sanitizers, and toothbrush cleaners.

UV-C lights are available for consumers in various forms, including boxes, bottles, and covered wands – each has its own set of instructions for how to use the light.

Widely-used sanitising wands allow one to wave UV-C rays over anything s/he might want to disinfect, including gadgets, counters, bedding, and steering wheels. Such portable wands can be used anywhere, claim to work within seconds, and are a favourite of travelers concerned about things like hotel room sanitation. Besides objects and surfaces, UV-C light can purify water, too — when used correctly.

"We had been growing the business of UV robots at quite a high pace – but the coronavirus has kind of rocketed the demand," chief executive officer of UVD Robots ApS, Per Juul Nielsen told the BBC.

He says truckloads of robots have been shipped to China from Denmark, in particular Wuhan. Sales elsewhere in Europe and Asia are also up.

Dr Lena Ciric, an associate professor at University College London and expert on molecular biology, agrees that UV disinfection robots can help fight coronavirus.

UV light has been used for decades in water and air purification, and has been used in laboratories. However, combining them with autonomous robots is a recent development.

American firm Xenex has the LightStrike germ-zapping robot, which has to be manually put in place. It delivers high-intensity UV light from a U-shaped bulb. Recently, the company has seen a surge in orders from corona-stricken countries including: Italy, Spain, Japan, Thailand, and South Korea.

Xenex says since 2014, numerous studies have shown that it has been effective at destroying hospital-acquired infections in the clean-up after the Ebola outbreak. More than 500 healthcare facilities, mostly in the US, have the germ-zapping robots. In California and Nebraska, it has already been put to use sanitising hospital rooms where Covid-19 patients received treatment, the manufacturer says.

China's Guangdong province-based YouiBot was already making self-directed robots, and quickly adapted its technology to make a disinfection device.

An environmental sanitation consultant Paul J. Markevicius said insidious air-borne viruses usually grow unrelenting in public places with large footfalls and thus become breeding grounds for epidemics. Air-borne viruses are invisible and can be life-threatening for the young, elderly and those with weakened immune systems.

He advocates for the instant-kill, neutralizing, option proffered by UV. Ozone is a fantastic sanitizing agent in many situations and environmental applications and 3,000 times more effective than chlorine. UV is a far-better option to ensure disinfection at high visitor areas such as a shopping mall or metro escalators.

Efficacy of the Sun's UV radiation

Most of the natural ultraviolet light that people encounter comes from the mighty Sun. AccuWeather staff writer, John Roach, said researchers studied 100 different Chinese cities that had more than 40 cases of Covid-19 from January 21 to 23. Now increased sunshine could help in the Northern Hemisphere.

"The stronger Sun and increased hours of sunshine may start to take their toll on coronavirus, thereby helping to stem its spread, particularly as the sun gets stronger in April and May," said AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers.

The Center for Biocide Chemistries has created a list of more than 100 ready-to-use, dilutable and wipeable biocidal products that the US Environmental Protection Agency has approved as effective at killing viruses like the coronavirus. Such rampant use of chemicals is feared to be a boomerang for ecology in the near future.

Top News / Health

UV rays / sanitisation / Coronavirus

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Govt's borrowing from treasury bills up by Tk65,000cr in FY23
    Govt's borrowing from treasury bills up by Tk65,000cr in FY23
  • Infographic: TBS
    Inside Airbus's mega plan to develop the aviation ecosystem in Bangladesh
  • President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS
    Biden and McCarthy reach a final deal to avoid US default and now must sell it to Congress

MOST VIEWED

  • Infographic: TBS
    Inside Airbus's mega plan to develop the aviation ecosystem in Bangladesh
  • How women's purchasing power is altering market dynamics
    How women's purchasing power is altering market dynamics
  • Media companies are rushing to capture the youngest market of news consumers in the misplaced hope that this will ensure their survival. Photo: Bloomberg
    News firms are too obsessed with wooing the young
  • Illustration: TBS
    'Cybercriminals are creating new ways of hacking'
  • Under SmartMek’s package, farmers can have access to large agricultural machines such as combined harvesters.
Photo: TBS
    SmartMek: Providing digitised services to the farmers through smart cards
  • Illustration: Bloomberg
    AI will supercharge productivity. Will workers benefit?

Related News

  • Coronavirus origins still a mystery 3 years into pandemic
  • Covid remains a public health emergency, says WHO
  • Potential China wave is 'wild card' for ending Covid emergency: WHO advisors
  • WHO chief hopes Covid will no longer be emergency next year
  • The Prof Writes: Covid-19 - The one that got away from us

Features

Infographic: TBS

Inside Airbus's mega plan to develop the aviation ecosystem in Bangladesh

1h | Panorama
How women's purchasing power is altering market dynamics

How women's purchasing power is altering market dynamics

56m | Panorama
Media companies are rushing to capture the youngest market of news consumers in the misplaced hope that this will ensure their survival. Photo: Bloomberg

News firms are too obsessed with wooing the young

26m | Panorama
Unwinding poolside, she revels in self-care, her flawless complexion glowing under the gentle sun. Photo: Rony Rezaul. Model: Tangia Zaman Methila

Dive into Summer Style: Get Ready to Sizzle by the Pool

23h | Mode

More Videos from TBS

Turks are voting in presidential run-off

Turks are voting in presidential run-off

18h | TBS World
Temperature will surpass 1.5 degree by 2027

Temperature will surpass 1.5 degree by 2027

1d | TBS World
Dubai’s gigantic moon shaped mega resort

Dubai’s gigantic moon shaped mega resort

1d | TBS World
In an interview given to TBS Lt. Col. Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury

In an interview given to TBS Lt. Col. Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury

3d | TBS Stories

Most Read

1
End of zero tax!
NBR

End of zero tax!

2
Photo: TBS
Energy

Wind power feeds national grid for first time Friday

3
Photo: TBS
Bangladesh

Private helicopter service launched in Ctg

4
Malaysian ship docks at Mongla port with 926 luxurious cars
Bangladesh

Malaysian ship docks at Mongla port with 926 luxurious cars

5
Nagad builds hope on Tk510cr bond, incurs Tk625cr loss
Economy

Nagad builds hope on Tk510cr bond, incurs Tk625cr loss

6
Cenbank prints Tk70,000cr new money in 11 months to support nat'l budget
Budget

Cenbank prints Tk70,000cr new money in 11 months to support nat'l budget

EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]