Open AccessEvaluation of Ultraviolet-C Light for Rapid Decontamination of Airport Security Bins in the Era of SARS-CoV-2
Author(s) -
Jennifer L. Cadnum,
Daniel F. Li,
Lucas D. Jones,
Sarah Redmond,
Basya Pearlmutter,
Brig Id M. Wilson,
Curtis J. Donskey
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
pathogens and immunity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2469-2964
DOI - 10.20411/pai.v5i1.373
Subject(s) - human decontamination , contamination , covid-19 , bacteriophage , ultraviolet light , sars virus , ultraviolet , environmental science , chemistry , medicine , materials science , biology , escherichia coli , optoelectronics , ecology , biochemistry , disease , pathology , gene , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Background: Contaminated surfaces are a potential source for spread of respiratory viruses including SARS-CoV-2. Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light is effective against RNA and DNA viruses and could be useful for decontamination of high-touch fomites that are shared by multiple users. Methods: A modification of the American Society for Testing and Materials standard quantitative carrier disk test method (ASTM E-2197-11) was used to examine the effectiveness of UV-C light for rapid decontamination of plastic airport security bins inoculated at 3 sites with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and bacteriophages MS2, PhiX174, and Phi6, an enveloped RNA virus used as a surrogate for coronaviruses. Reductions of 3 log 10 on inoculated plastic bins were considered effective for decontamination. Results: UV-C light administered as 10-, 20-, or 30-second cycles in proximity to a plastic bin reduced contamination on each of the test sites, including vertical and horizontal surfaces. The 30-second cycle met criteria for decontamination of all 3 test sites for all the test organisms except bacteriophage MS2 which was reduced by greater than 2 log 10 PFU at each site. Conclusions: UV-C light is an attractive technology for rapid decontamination of airport security bins. Further work is needed to evaluate the utility of UV-C light in real-world settings and to develop methods to provide automated movement of bins through a UV-C decontamination process.