COVID-19 Breakthrough - LED Lights Eradicate the Virus
A simple thing like replacing lightbulbs in
public spaces may render them much safer and minimize the risk of
getting Covid-19. This is the claim laid out by researchers from Tel
Aviv Univerisity, who conducted a study and established that the novel
coronavirus is sensitive to a specific type of LED light.
Indoor public spaces like shopping centers,
public transportation, and schools are among the most high-risk
locations when it comes to Covid-19. The virus spreads like wildfire in
such spaces, and there have been many recorded instances of entire
schools and other indoor spaces closing down with hundreds of confirmed
Covid-19 cases. Until now, very little could be done to make these
spaces safer.
Surely, regular cleaning and disinfection, as well as social distancing
and mask-wearing all help a lot, but even with all these practices in
place, the virus survives and spreads only further. In addition,
disinfecting buses, trains, and entire shopping centers requires quite a
lot of time and effort, so researchers have been trying to come up with
alternative methods for quite a while now.
In an attempt to find a method that could
help eradicate the virus indoors, researchers at Tel Aviv University
under the leadership of Prof. Hadas Mamane tested the ability of UV LED
lights to disinfect surfaces, and they just came back with the results.
The article was included in the November 2020 issue of the Journal of
Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology.
To the great relief and hope of all of us, the researchers have shown
that the novel coronavirus can be eradicated efficiently, quickly, and
cheaply with the use of ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes
(UV-LEDs).
As Prof. Mamane explained in an interview for the Tel Aviv University
website, “We killed the viruses using cheaper and more readily available
LED bulbs, which consume little energy and do not contain mercury like
regular bulbs. Our research has commercial and societal implications,
given the possibility of using such LED bulbs in all areas of our lives,
safely and quickly.” Using these bulbs is easy and possible practically
anywhere - from rooms to ventilation systems and doors. “Disinfection
systems based on LED bulbs … can be installed in the ventilation system
and air conditioner, for example, and sterilize the air sucked in and
then emitted into the room,” stated Mamane.
According to the researchers, the more
readily available and cheaper lightbulbs with a wavelength of 285
nanometers were almost as efficient in killing the virus as the pricier
bulbs with a wavelength of 265 nm. In less than half a minute, the 285
nm bulbs destroyed over 99.9% of the coronaviruses.
This is great news, as these special bulbs could be relatively easily
incorporated into indoor public spaces and disinfected every few hours.
Unfortunately, the researchers point out that these UV LED bulbs are not
suitable for private homes, though, as they emit dangerous radiation
and could lead to serious side effects if a person was exposed to them.
Still, this new method could really help minimize the risk of
contracting the virus in public spaces and is still extremely valuable.