Defining the Effectiveness of UV Lamps Installed in Circulating Air Ductwork

Germicidal ultraviolet (UVGI) lamps have a long history of use for inactivating microbial aerosols. Most reports have focused on the control of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB), in the occupied spaces of medical facilities. Ventilation duct use of UVGI has been increasing. In-duct applications are generally more concerned with controlling environmental organisms than with controlling infections agents. This document reports the results of a project to investigate the ability of UVGI lamps to inactivate representative environmental microbial aerosols in ventilation ducts. During this research, UVGI lamps were experimentally demonstrated to inactivate bioaerosols composed of vegetative bacteria, bacteria spores, or fungal spores to a reproducible degree under conditions of fixed dose. Vegetative bacteria were most susceptible to UVGI, with bacteria and fungal spores being substantially more resistant. The performance equation commonly cited in the literature for UVGI inactivation was found to generally apply, provided its parameters were known. Revision of final report DOE/OR22674/610-40030-01. Revised table 5 on page 33