Signify and California-based safety laboratory Innovative Bioanalysis have validated the effectiveness of UV-C disinfection upper air lighting on the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The UV-C disinfection upper air luminaires inactivated 99.99% of the virus in the air of a room in about 10 minutes and the virus was below detectable levels at 20 minutes.
“Based on the understood method by which UV-C exposure deactivates pathogens, we would expect UV-C disinfection lighting to have a similar impact on the various genetic mutations of (SARS-CoV2),” said Sam Kabbani, chief scientific officer at Innovative Bioanalysis.
The test results illustrate the effectiveness of the upper air luminaires and how the lighting can be successful in preventing the virus as well as providing customers and employees with virus-free environments.
Signify increased production of its UV-C light sources eight-fold in 2020 to support the fight against COVID-19 and has installed the lighting to retailers such as EDEKA Clausen in Germany, dm in Slovakia and Rugby Union Club Harlequins in the U.K.
The lighting is installed at a height that allows the system to disinfect air as it circulates in a space, even when people are present. The mechanical ventilation and natural convection moves the air back into the lower part of a space, and shielding and optics prevent accidental exposure to UV-C radiation for employees and customers.
