Ultraviolet Light-emitting Diode Irradiation Research Articles

Wavelength dependency and photosensitizer effects in UV-LED photodegradation of iohexol

Iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICM) are ubiquitously present in water sources and challenging to eliminate using conventional processes, posing a significant risk to aquatic ecosystems. Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LED) emerge as a promising technology for transforming micropollutants in water, boasting advantages such as diverse wavelengths, elimination of chemical additives, and no induction of microorganisms’ resistance to disinfectants. The research reveals that iohexol (IOX) degradation escalates as UV wavelength decreases, attributed to enhanced photon utilization efficiency. Pseudo-first-order rate constants (kobs) were determined as 3.70, 2.60, 1.31 and 0.65 cm2 J−1 at UV-LED wavelengths of 255, 265, 275 and 285 nm, respectively. The optical properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and anions undeniably influence the UV-LED photolysis process through photon competition and the generation of reactive substances. The influence of Cl− on IOX degradation was insignificant at UV-LED 255, but it promoted IOX degradation at 265, 275 and 285 nm. IOX degradation was accelerated by ClO2−, NO3−and HA due to the formation of various reactive species. In the presence of NO3−, the kobs of IOX followed the order: 265 > 255 > 275 > 285 nm. Photosensitizers altered the spectral dependence of IOX, and the intermediate photoactivity products were detected using electron spin resonance. The transformation pathways of IOX were determined through density functional theory calculations and experiments. Disinfection by-products (DBPs) yields of IOX during UV-LED irradiation decreased as the wavelength increased: 255 > 265 > 275 > 285 nm. The cytotoxicity index value decreased as the UV-LED wavelength increased from 255 to 285 nm. These findings are crucial for selecting the most efficient wavelength for UV-LED degradation of ICM and will benefit future water purification design.

Advancing sustainable seawater disinfection: Enhanced inactivation and mechanism of pulsed UV-LEDs irradiation on Tetraselmis sp.

Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs), as a novel ultraviolet light source with flexible pulse mode, has gained significant attention for applications in water disinfection and food sterilization. This study investigated the comparative inactivation efficiency of Tetraselmis sp. with continuous and pulsed UV-LEDs irradiation, exploring different wavelengths, duty rates and pulse frequencies. The results reveal a significant enhancement in inactivation efficiency (p < 0.05) under pulsed conditions even at the same UV dose, with inactivation efficiency increasing as duty rate or pulse frequency decreases. The optimal conditions for achieving peak inactivation efficacy are identified as a duty rate of 50% and a pulse frequency of 5 Hz. Within this parameter space, pulsed irradiation leads to a remarkable 1.7-fold increase in inactivation efficiency at UV265 nm and a 1.5-fold increase at UV285 nm compared to continuous irradiation, respectively. Additionally, the disruptive impacts on photosynthetic performance are more pronounced with pulsed irradiation, particularly at the 5 Hz pulse frequency. In shed of these findings, the application of pulsed UV-LEDs irradiation emerges as a promising alternative to the conventional continuous UV disinfection methods in the area of seawater disinfection, offering higher disinfection efficacy and energy consumption.

Multifunctional photocatalytic membrane distillation for treatment of hypersaline produced water using hydrophobically modified tubular ceramic membranes

Produced water (PW) is the subsurface water brought to the surface during oil and gas production. PW is primarily disposed of by deep well injection, but it can be treated for beneficial use applications. However, efficient technologies for treating hypersaline PW with complex water chemistry are limited. This study developed an innovative, multifunctional photocatalytic membrane distillation (PMD) technology using hydrophobically modified tubular ceramic membranes coated with TiO2 nanoparticles as photocatalysts for treating unconventional PW. The effects of membrane modifications were characterized in terms of membrane morphology, pore size, chemical functionality, zeta potential, hydrophobicity, liquid entry pressure, water production, permeate water quality, and membrane fouling and scaling propensity. The desalination performance of the PMD technology was demonstrated using unconventional PW with total dissolved solids concentrations of 135,000 mg/L and 175,000 mg/L, and NH3-N concentrations of 1551 mg/L and 613 mg/L, respectively. The novel PMD concept provides a promising technology for hypersaline PW treatment, and TiO2 coating significantly reduced membrane fouling and scaling, improved distillate quality, and maintained stable permeate flux. The photocatalyst activation by ultraviolet-light emitting diodes (UV-LED) light further increased the permeate flux and enhanced the total organic carbon removal from 82.0% (without UV-LED) to 89.7% (with UV-LED). UV-LED irradiation did not affect ammonia and metals removal in PMD, reaching 99.4% and > 99.99% removal, respectively.

Dual-wavelength synergy and mechanism analysis of ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-LED)/H2O2 process for pesticide wastewater treatment

Ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-LED), as a new UV source, can be used to activate H2O2. The effect of wavelength on the removal of hexazinone and the potential dual-wavelength synergy was investigated. The degradation efficiency of hexazinone (kH, 6.45 × 10−5 m2 J−1) was the highest at 265 nm in single-wavelength UV-LED/H2O2 process, with the lowest energy consumption (EEO, 1.00 kWh m3 order−1), which was due to the strong absorption of H2O2 and the generation of large amount of HO at 265 nm. The increase in the number of photons under dual-wavelength UV-LED irradiation (265 and 280 nm) accelerated the photolysis of H2O2 to HO, resulting in the dual-wavelength synergy of pollutant degradation (increased by 14.18%) in UV-LED/H2O2 process. Besides, the UV-LED/H2O2 process had high degradation efficiency and energy saving in acidic, neutral and weakly alkaline environment (pH = 4.0–9.0), and exhibited dual-wavelength synergy (increased by 5.30–17.69%), but not in strongly alkaline condition (pH = 10.0). The UV-LED/H2O2 process had a certain ability to reduce the interference of coexisting substances, such as anions, humic acid, turbidity and polystyrene microplastics. Finally, the analysis of degradation pathway and biotoxicity of hexazinone and its intermediates indicated that UV-LED/H2O2 process was eco-friendly. The dual-wavelength UV-LED/H2O2 process provides a new strategy and insight for the efficient degradation of pollutants and energy conservation.

Inactivation kinetics of 280 nm UV-LEDs against Mycobacterium abscessus in water

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs) that cause a burdensome waterborne respiratory disease. Due to their resistance to chemical disinfectants and regrowth in biofilms in drinking water distribution systems, treatment can be better performed using small ultraviolet disinfection units at the point-of-use (POU), such as at a tap or showerhead. Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are well suited for such applications, but fluence-response data are not available for one of the most important NTM, Mycobacterium abscessus. In this study, a bench-scale 280 nm UV-LED apparatus was used to irradiate M. abscessus in a water matrix. The fluence-response profile was sigmoidal, exhibiting both shoulder and tailing phenomena. Simple linear regression and the Geeraerd’s inactivation kinetics model yielded k values of 0.36 and 0.37 cm2/mJ, respectively, revealing that M. abscessus is more resistant to UV than Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Legionella pneumophila, which suggests that NTM are among the most UV-resistant OPPPs. Results of this study suggest that 280 nm UV-LED irradiation can be an effective and practical option to inactivate M. abscessus at the POU. Disinfection units that can deliver a fluence of 10 mJ/cm2 are expected to achieve nearly 2 log (99%) inactivation of M. abscessus.

Reactive Blue 19 dye removal by UV-LED/chlorine advanced oxidation process.

In recent years, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have indicated the greatest potential in the removal of stable organic compounds, including dyes. In this study, the ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) combined with chlorine was evaluated to remove Reactive Blue 19 (RB19) dye from aqueous solution. The effect of key experimental parameters including pH, initial chlorine concentration, initial dye concentration, and reaction time on the performance of UV-LED irradiation, UV-LED/chlorine, and the chlorination method for the removal of RB19 was studied in this research. Results showed that, more than 99% of RB19 was removed after 30 min of reaction time under optimized conditions (pH = 5, [chlorine] = 300 μM, and [RB19] = 20 mg L-1) with apparent kinetic rate constant (kapp) of 17.1 × 10-2 min-1 in UV-LED/chlorine process. However, for the chlorination method, removal efficiency was 64.7% (kapp = 3.41 × 10-2 min-1) with an apparent kinetic rate constant of 0.0341 min-1. Results also showed that UV-LED irradiation is not effective at all in removing RB19. The scavenging assay showed that OH• radicals (67.23%) had the highest contribution in RB19 removal in UV-LED/chlorine process while Cl• (17.82%) and [Formula: see text] (8.56%) had a minor role in the degradation of the dye. The RB19 degradation kinetics analysis revealed that the processes of UV-LED/chlorine and chlorination degradation followed the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. In this study, the impact of chloride, nitrate, bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfate, and sulfite anions on the performance of the process was investigated. It indicated that sulfite anion has the most negative impact on the RB19 removal process. By evaluating the synergistic effect between UV-LED lamp and chlorine, a synergy index of 5.0 was obtained for the UV-LED/chlorine process. The results presented that the UV-LED/chlorine process has a better performance than each of them alone and has the necessary efficiency for RB19 removal. Measuring COD reported its removal efficiency of 98% during the UV-LED/chlorine process under optimized conditions. Experiments continued with textile factory wastewater and indicated 30.9% of its COD removed after treatment when 1.0 μM chlorine was used.

Evaluation of Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst inactivation following exposure to ultraviolet light-emitting diodes by in vitro excystation and dye staining assays.

Cryptosporidium spp. are protozoan parasites that are transmitted via fecal-oral routes and can exhibit chemical resistance. Chlorine resistance makes it very difficult to eliminate parasites present in contaminated drinking water. While the efficacy of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) against microorganisms has been reported, the efficacy of UV-LEDs against Cryptosporidium spp. has not been fully evaluated. Here, we assessed the efficacy of UV-LEDs with peak wavelengths of 268, 275, 284, and 289nm against Cryptosporidium parvum at various exposure times, with a fixed exposure distance, using two in vitro methods. Consequently, the time required for 2 log10 inactivation through the excystation method by UV-LEDs of 268, 275, 284, and 289nm was estimated as 115.5, 104.1, 37.4, and 30.7min, respectively. The propidium iodide (PI) and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining assays estimated the inactivation time as 311.3, 275.2, 60.6, and 39.1min, respectively. Our results showed that UV-LED irradiation at longer wavelengths produced higher inactivation activity against C. parvum, which corroborates our previously reported in vivo assay results, although further study is needed to clarify the mechanism.

UV-LED irradiation reduces the infectivity of herpes simplex virus type 1 by targeting different viral components depending on the peak wavelength.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is an enveloped virus that mainly infects humans. Given its high global prevalence, disinfection is critical for reducing the risk of infection. Ultraviolet-light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are eco-friendly irradiating modules with different peak wavelengths, but the molecules degraded by UV-LED irradiation have not been clarified. To identify the target viral molecules of UV-LEDs, we exposed HSV-1 suspensions to UV-LED irradiation at wavelengths of 260-, 280-, 310-, and 365-nm and measured viral DNA, protein, and lipid damage and infectivity in host cells. All UV-LEDs substantially reduced by inhibiting host cell transcription, but 260- and 280-nm UV-LEDs had significantly stronger virucidal efficiency than 310- and 365-nm UV-LEDs. Meanwhile, 260- and 280-nm UV-LEDs induced the formation of viral DNA photoproducts and the degradation of viral proteins and some phosphoglycerolipid species. Unlike 260- and 280-nm UV-LEDs, 310- and 365-nm UV-LEDs decreased the viral protein levels, but they did not drastically change the levels of viral DNA photoproducts and lipophilic metabolites. These results suggest that UV-LEDs reduce the infectivity of HSV-1 by targeting different viral molecules based on the peak wavelength. These findings could facilitate the optimization of UV-LED irradiation for viral inactivation.

Degradation kinetics and removal efficiencies of pharmaceuticals by photocatalytic ceramic membranes using ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

The development of ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-LED) technology provides more potential for the application of photocatalytic membranes. In this study, graphene oxide-titanium dioxide (GO-TiO2) photocatalytic ceramic membranes were prepared and activated by UV-LED. We systematically evaluated the removal of naproxen (NAP), carbamazepine (CBZ) and diclofenac (DCF) under 365 nm, 300 nm and 275 nm UV-LED irradiation in photocatalytic ceramic membrane reactors (PCMRs). Our results showed that this GO-TiO2 modified ceramic membrane achieved simultaneous separation and photocatalytic degradation for tested pharmaceuticals. Through fluence-based and energy-based efficiencies analysis, the 300 nm UV-LED is a good option for achieving a high removal efficiency with low energy consumption. Membrane filtration enhanced the degradation efficiency by four times through enhancing the mass transfer effect in membrane pores, and reduced the electrical energy per order (EEO) by a factor of ten. In addition, high membrane flux, high degradation rate and strong catalytic stability could be simultaneously achieved in closed-loop dead-end filtration. The addition of H2O2 could further increased the removal efficiency. PCMRs equipped with UV-LEDs are promising for pharmaceuticals removal as well as solving the issue of membrane concentrated water.

Application of innovative technologies to produce activated safe ice

• Application of cold atmospheric plasma and electrolysis of water can be applied for the generation of safe ice. • Plasma activated water ice and electrolyzed water ice can be used for the preservation of fresh foods. • Direct disinfection of edible ice can be achieved by ultraviolet light-emitting diode irradiation. Ice refrigeration is one of the most widely used methods for food preservation with the use of a low temperature to delay the growth of any microbial contaminants. The production of safe edible ice with antimicrobial properties is of importance to food safety and human health, and has attracted increasing interest in recent years. This manuscript summarizes the advancements of the recent technologies to produce activated ice containing bactericidal agents, which can be potentially applied for the microbial decontamination and freshness retention of raw foods, such as fresh vegetables, seafood and fisheries. Cold atmospheric plasma and acidic electrolysis of water are two technologies that have been recently proposed for the treatment of water that is intended for the production of safe ice. Additionally, the application of ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UVC-LED) irradiation for the efficient disinfection of the edible ice is also discussed.

Effects of ultraviolet-light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) on microbial inactivation and quality attributes of mixed beverage made from blend of carrot, carob, ginger, grape and lemon juice

Efficacy of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) with peak and coupled emissions at 280, 365 and 280/365 nm on inactivation of E. coli K12 in mixed beverage (MB) was investigated. MB comprised of 31.6% carrot, 44.3% carob, 8.7% grape, 10.2% ginger, and 5.2% lemon juice. The impact of UV-LEDs on some physicochemical and phytochemical properties of MB was compared to that of heat treatment (70 °C, 120 s). While, UV-LED irradiation using coupled 280/365 nm for 40 min resulted in the highest inactivation of E. coli K12 (>4 log) out of tested wavelengths, the number of mesophilic bacteria (TAC), and yeast and molds (YM) in mixed beverage were reduced by 2.59 log CFU/mL (from 5.69 log CFU/mL of initial load), and 0.17 log CFU/mL (from 3.28 log CFU/mL of the initial load), respectively. Although, the color parameters slightly changed after irradiation, the color of MB did not show visual difference (ΔE = 0.94) compared to untreated samples. UV-LED treatment caused a significant increase in total phenolic compound (1.75-fold) and antioxidant capacity (4.60 fold) compared to heat-treated samples (p < 0.05). UV-LED treatment caused a decrease in carotenoid content (71.3%) lower than that of heat-treated samples (88.9%), indicating that UV-LED irradiation preserved the total carotenoid content better than the heat treatment. Industrial relevanceLight-emitting diodes (LEDs) are new sources of ultraviolet light utilized for non-thermal processing of foods. In this study, a static bench top unit was designed to investigate the efficacy of UV-LEDs with different treatment times and peak emissions by considering the inactivation of E. coli K12 in newly formulated mixed drink (MB). UV-LED irradiation of MB using coupled 280/365 nm for 40 min provided the highest microbial inactivation and preserved bioactive compounds better than the heat treatment. It can be proposed as an effective method for the processing of fruit juices which is rich in bioactive constituents.

Effect of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) and ultraviolet light illumination pretreatment on microflora inactivation of coriander

Microbiological contamination of vegetables leading to foodborne disease is a serious public health problem. Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) and ultraviolet-light emitting diode (UV-LED) are considered to have good bactericidal effect. However, the limitations of SAEW in application include its instability and the great dependence on equipment and that of UV-LED remains poorly characterized. To improve decontamination efficiency and explore the combined bactericidal efficacy, the coriander, immerged in different concentration SAEW in advance, were studied under various UV-LED intensity: 80, 160, 240 μW/cm2 for different times. Additionally, the coriander was evaluated for total viable counts and general quality. The result showed that UV-LED-SAEW combined treatment has better decontamination efficiency than that of single factor and the inactivation efficacy was related to the concentration of SAEW, intensity of UV-LED and their treating time. The 240 μW/cm2 UV-LED irradiation for 30 min combined with SAEW (ACC of 60 mg/L) 5-min-washing led to 2.72 log CFU/g Salmonella reduction and 2.42 log CFU/g E. coli reduction. The SAEW and UV-LED treatment cause no significant negative effect on overall coriander quality and prolonged the shelf-life of coriander. UV-LED with SAEW pretreatment shows potential for reducing foodborne pathogens on coriander without effects on its quality.

Irradiation by a Combination of Different Peak-Wavelength Ultraviolet-Light Emitting Diodes Enhances the Inactivation of Influenza A Viruses.

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) pose a serious global threat to humans and their livestock. This study aimed to determine the ideal irradiation by ultraviolet-light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) for IAV disinfection. We irradiated the IAV H1N1 subtype with 4.8 mJ/cm2 UV using eight UV-LEDs [peak wavelengths (WL) = 365, 310, 300, 290, 280, 270, and 260 nm)] or a mercury low pressure (LP)-UV lamp (Peak WL = 254 nm). Inactivation was evaluated by the infection ratio of Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells or chicken embryonated eggs. Irradiation by the 260 nm UV-LED showed the highest inactivation among all treatments. Because the irradiation-induced inactivation effects strongly correlated with damage to viral RNA, we calculated the correlation coefficient (RAE) between the irradiant spectrum and absorption of viral RNA. The RAE scores strongly correlated with the inactivation by the UV-LEDs and LP-UV lamp. To increase the RAE score, we combined three different peak WL UV-LEDs (hybrid UV-LED). The hybrid UV-LED (RAE = 86.3) significantly inactivated both H1N1 and H6N2 subtypes to a greater extent than 260 nm (RAE = 68.6) or 270 nm (RAE = 42.2) UV-LEDs. The RAE score is an important factor for increasing the virucidal effects of UV-LED irradiation.

Comparison of UV-LEDs and LPUV on inactivation and subsequent reactivation of waterborne fungal spores

Recently, the contamination of fungi in water supply systems has been an area of increasing concern, such as Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. It can cause some waterborne issues such as odor, taste and formation of mycotoxins. Ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are considered as a potential alternative to conventional mercury lamps for water disinfection. This study has compared the performance of LPUV (low pressure ultraviolet) and UV-LEDs with emissions at 265, 280 nm and combination emissions at 265/280 nm to test inactivation efficiency, reactivation, viability and electrical energy consumption in the treatment of three water-borne fungal species (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium polonicum, Trichoderma harzianum) at a batch water disinfection system. The results showed that the performances of UV-LEDs were superior for the inactivation of fungal spores compared to the 254 nm (LP), while no statistically differences were observed among the UV-LEDs (p > 0.05). The average photoreactivation rate (k1) of fungal spores irradiated by UV-LEDs and 254 nm (LP) follows the order: T. harzianum > A. niger > P. polonicum. Compared with LPUV, UV-LEDs irradiation at 280 nm and 265/280 nm more efficiently inhibits photoreactivation, which was attributed to that irradiation of 280 nm and 265/280 nm would cause greater membrane damage and increase intracellular reactive oxygen species level of fungal spores according to the flow cytometric results. The electrical energy consumption of UV-LEDs was higher than that of LPUV, which was due to its lower wall plug efficiency. The results of this study can provide additional and beneficial information for the reasonable exploitation of UV-LEDs in water disinfection.

Evaluating iopamidol degradation performance and potential dual-wavelength synergy by UV-LED irradiation and UV-LED/chlorine treatment

This study revealed the iopamidol degradation performance and the synergistic effect of dual-wavelength ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs). It was found that the dual-wavelength irradiation (265 and 280 nm) can promote iopamidol degradation during both UV-LED alone and UV-LED/chlorine processes (p < 0.05). The effects of key experimental parameters including pH, chlorine dosage and water matrix during UV-LED/chlorine process were evaluated. Peak degradation rate was observed at pH 7.0 due to the combined effects of the quantum yield of aquatic chlorine photolysis (Φchlorine) and absorptivity of chlorine. The destruction pathways of iopamidol in the UV-LED/chlorine process were proposed by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization-mass spectrometry. Additionally, an opposite trend of iodinated trihalomethane (I-THM) formation during subsequent chlorination between Milli-Q and real waters with prolonging irradiation time was observed, while other detected disinfection by-product (DBP) formation showed the same variation in Milli-Q and real waters. The UV-LED/chlorine treatment using dual-wavelength can enhance iopamidol degradation significantly, but it also promoted I-THM formation in real water, indicating the need for evaluating DBPs before the application of UV-LED/chlorine process in drinking water treatment.

Rutile phase dominant TiO2 formed by thermal treatment and its high photocatalytic activity under narrow spectrum ultraviolet light emitting diodes

The photocatalysts having different phase composition (Anatase/Rutile) used in this study were obtained by calcination of Degussa P25 titanium dioxide catalyst at different temperatures namely 500, 600, 700, and 800 °C. The calcined catalysts were characterized using Powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), UV–visible-diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis-DRS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) Surface area, Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The photocatalytic activity of the P25 catalysts were studied by degradation of malachite green (MG) dye solution under irradiation of narrow spectrum ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UVLED) of 390–410 nm range using locally designed photocatalytic reactor. Among the catalysts utilized, higher degradation percentage (99%) was achieved in the case of calcined catalyst (P25-700) which has the anatase (ca. 26%) and rutile (74%) phase percentage. Fluorescence analysis was also studied to confirm the higher hydroxyl radical generation under irradiation of narrow spectrum UVLED irradiation in presence of P25-700 catalyst during photocatalytic reaction which leads to higher photocatalytic degradation of MG as compared to other catalysts. The complete degradation of MG dye has also been confirmed using chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) analysis.

Enhanced inactivation of E. coli by pulsed UV-LED irradiation during water disinfection

Pulsed ultraviolet (UV) irradiation has presented enhanced inactivation efficiency in water disinfection and food decontamination. As an emerging UV source, UV light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are an attractive alternative for pulsed irradiation because they can be turned on and off with a high and adjustable frequency. In this study, disinfection efficiencies of pulsed and continuous UV-LED irradiation were compared for Escherichia coli (E. coli) inactivation in water using a high power 285 nm LED and low power 265 and 280 nm LEDs. Factors including various duty cycles, pulse frequencies and UV irradiances were evaluated. The log-inactivation of E. coli increased substantially as the duty cycle decreased from 100% to 5% at the same UV dose. For 265 and 280 nm LEDs, the log-inactivation enhancements of pulsed UV irradiation were similar. When a higher irradiance was applied, the energy efficiency enhancement of pulsed UV irradiation became more obvious. The log-inactivation of E. coli enhanced remarkably using high current pulsed irradiation of 280 nm LEDs. Compared to continuous UV irradiation, pulsed UV-LED irradiation is an attractive alternative for E. coli inactivation in water considering energy efficiency.

Growth of dropwort plants and their accumulation of bioactive compounds after exposure to UV lamp or LED irradiation

High-energy ultraviolet (UV) light is an environmental stress that can be used to stimulate the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds in plants. This study aimed to comparatively determine the effects of UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C lamps or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the growth of dropwort (Oenanthe stolonifera) plants, and their contents of bioactive compounds. Dropwort seedlings with 2–3 offshoots were transplanted in a plant factory equipped with white LED and deep flow technique systems, and cultivated under standard growth conditions for 36 days. Thereafter, the dropwort plants were supplementally exposed to one of five UV treatments with energy equivalent to 10 W m−2: UV-C lamps for 2 days, UV-B lamps for 3 days, and UV-A lamps and LEDs with 370 nm or 385 nm peak wavelengths for 14 days. The variable fluorescence (Fv) to maximum fluorescence (Fm) ratio (Fv/Fm) of dropwort leaves began to significantly decrease 3 h after exposure to UV-C, and 6 h after UV-B exposure. Fluorescence in UV-C and UV-B-treated plants was lower than in control and UV-A-treated plants during the entire period of UV irradiation. The fresh weight of the shoots of plants treated with UV was not significantly different to those of the control plants during the entire UV irradiation period. The total phenolic content of dropwort shoots exposed to UV-A and UV-B treatments significantly increased compared to that of the control 1 day after treatment. The total phenolic content was highest in plants treated with the 370 nm UV-A LED, and this was significantly higher (33%) than the control. Plants treated with the 385 nm UV-A LED on day 3 of treatment had the highest total phenolic content compared to the other treatments. A similar trend was observed in contents of flavonoids and persicarin. UV light induced higher anthocyanin content than the control. The activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase after UV treatments was significantly higher than the control, supporting the findings of our bioactive compound assays. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that irradiating vegetables with UV-A LEDs would be useful in plant factories with artificial light for improving vegetable quality without inhibiting growth.

Irradiation with 310 nm and 340 nm ultraviolet light-emitting-diodes can improve atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice.

Ultraviolet (UV) light produces an immunomodulatory effect on the skin and is widely used for the treatment of chronic inflammatory skin diseases. UV light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are a new and promising source of UV radiation. However, their mechanism of action remains largely unknown. In this study, we tested the safety and effectiveness of UV-LED irradiation for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) in an NC/Nga mouse model. Mice were divided into seven groups of eight mice each. Application of Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) extract ointment for four weeks induced AD-like skin lesions. Subsequently, the mice were exposed to UV-LEDs, narrow band UVB, or UVA irradiation three times per week. We assessed the immunosuppressive effects of 310 nm (50 mJ cm-2) and 340 nm (5 J cm-2) UV-LED irradiation. Histological analyses using hematoxylin-eosin, toluidine blue, and immunohistochemical staining were performed. In addition, the serum levels of IgE, inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). UV-LED irradiation significantly alleviated AD-like skin symptoms, including edema, erythema, dryness, and itching, by modulating Th1 and Th2 responses, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and scratching behavior in NC/Nga mice. These results suggest that UV-LEDs can improve the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases.

Effects of ultraviolet light emitting diodes (LEDs) on microbial and enzyme inactivation of apple juice

In this study, the effects of Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) on the inactivation of E. coli K12 (ATCC 25253), an indicator organism of E. coli O157:H7, and polyphneoloxidase (PPO) in cloudy apple juice (CAJ) were investigated. The clear (AJ) and cloudy apple juice were exposed to UV rays for 40min by using a UV device composed of four UV-LEDs with peak emissions at 254 and 280nm and coupled emissions as follows: 254/365, 254/405, 280/365, 280/405 and 254/280/365/405nm. UV-LEDs at 254nm achieved 1.6±0.1 log10 CFU/mL inactivation of E. coli K12 at UV dose of 707.2mJ/cm2. The highest inactivation of E. coli K12 (2.0±0.1log10 CFU/mL and 2.0±0.4log10CFU/mL) was achieved when the cloudy apple juice was treated with both 280nm and 280/365nm UV-LEDs. For clear apple juice the highest inactivation 4.4log10CFU/mL obtained for E. coli K12 was achieved using 4 lamps emitting light at 280nm for 40min exposure time. For the same treatment time, the experiments using a combination of lamps emitting light at 280 and 365nm (2lamp/2lamp) were resulted in 3.9±0.2log10CFU/mL reductions. UV-A and UV-C rays in combination showed a better inactivation effect on PPO than UV-C rays used separately. Residual activity of PPO in CAJ was reduced to 32.58% when treated with UV-LED in combination of UV-C (280nm) and UV-A (365nm) rays. Additionally, the total color change (ΔE) of CAJ subjected to combined UV-LED irradiation at 280/365nm was the lowest compared to other studied processing conditions. This study provides key implications for the future application of UV-LEDs to fruit juice pasteurization.