Abstract
The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in an increased need for technologies capable of efficiently disinfecting public spaces as well as personal protective equipment. UV light disinfection is a well-established method for inactivating respiratory viruses. Here, we have determined that broad-spectrum, pulsed UV light is effective at inactivating SARS-CoV-2 on multiple surfaces in vitro. For hard, non-porous surfaces, we observed that SARS-CoV-2 was inactivated to undetectable levels on plastic and glass with a UV dose of 34.9 mJ/cm2 and stainless steel with a dose of 52.5 mJ/cm2. We also observed that broad-spectrum, pulsed UV light is effective at reducing SARS-CoV-2 on N95 respirator material to undetectable levels with a dose of 103 mJ/cm2. We included UV dosimeter cards that provide a colorimetric readout of UV dose and demonstrated their utility as a means to confirm desired levels of exposure were reached. Together, the results presented here demonstrate that broad-spectrum, pulsed UV light is an effective technology for the in vitro inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 on multiple surfaces.
Highlights
In late 2019, the novel severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in Wuhan, China [1,2]
In tandem with testing the effectiveness of broad-spectrum UV light in inactivating SARS-CoV-2, we evaluated the functionality of UV dosage cards designed for pulsed UV light sources
The availability of information regarding the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 for environmental disinfection is of paramount importance
Summary
In late 2019, the novel severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in Wuhan, China [1,2]. SARS-CoV-2 is a member of the Coronaviridae family of enveloped negative-sense RNA viruses. It is classified in the Betacoronavirus genus of which other notable members are the highly pathogenic SARS-CoV and the Middle East respiratory syndrome virus (MERS-CoV) [3]. High case counts raise concerns about infections arising from contaminated public spaces, such as mass transit vehicles and hospital spaces that have housed SARS-CoV-2positive patients. Analysis by RT-PCR of COVID-19 patient rooms and other hospital settings demonstrated frequent contaminating viral RNA on surfaces [6,7,8,9]. Viral RNA has been found on various surfaces in households with SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals [12,13]
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