Issue 10, 2020

Spectrum of virucidal activity from ultraviolet to infrared radiation

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a demand for safe and highly effective decontamination techniques for both personal protective equipment (PPE) and hospital and operating rooms. The gradual lifting of lockdown restrictions warrants the expansion of these measures into the outpatient arena. Ultraviolet C (UVC) radiation has well-known germicidal properties and is among the most frequently reported decontamination techniques used today. However, there is evidence that wavelengths beyond the traditional 254 nm UVC – namely far UVC (222 nm), ultraviolet B, ultraviolet A, visible light, and infrared radiation – have germicidal properties as well. This review will cover current literature regarding the germicidal effects of wavelengths ranging from UVC through the infrared waveband with an emphasis on their activity against viruses, and their potential applicability in the healthcare setting for general decontamination during an infectious outbreak.

Graphical abstract: Spectrum of virucidal activity from ultraviolet to infrared radiation

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
15 jun 2020
Accepted
11 aug 2020
First published
12 aug 2020

Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2020,19, 1262-1270

Spectrum of virucidal activity from ultraviolet to infrared radiation

L. Horton, A. E. Torres, S. Narla, A. B. Lyons, I. Kohli, J. M. Gelfand, D. M. Ozog, I. H. Hamzavi and H. W. Lim, Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2020, 19, 1262 DOI: 10.1039/D0PP00221F

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