key: cord-0824275-ctpdktxv
authors: Kumar, Anil; Sagdeo, Archna; Sagdeo, Pankaj R.
title: Possibility of using ultraviolet radiation for disinfecting the novel COVID-19
date: 2021-02-24
journal: Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther
DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2021.102234
sha: 728cdd70de8f0d9c969c3c8357e7c0d0378ad740
doc_id: 824275
cord_uid: ctpdktxv

The world health organization (WHO) declared novel COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020 and this virus is spreading very fast and as of now infected more than tens of millions of people across the globe. Presently the corona warriors such as doctors, health worker, security officers, sanitization workers, news reporters, municipal officers etc. are doing extraordinary efforts all over the globe to control the present situation by various means. Here in this report, we propose the importance of light-based technologies in disinfecting the novel COVID-19, present on the surface of phone, plastic surfaces, wallets, watches, cloths. This article identifies the benefits of repurposing ultraviolet light-based strategies to combat the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. A possible design for the ultraviolet irradiation is also proposed and discussed in short.

In early twenties i.e. 1903, Nobel Prize was awarded to Niels Finsen for discovering the significance of ultraviolet (UV) light in killing germs, thereby disinfecting the hospital rooms and other public spaces [1] . The ultraviolet (UV) light having energy ranging from 3.0 eV to 6.0 eV are frequently used to kill the bacteria which may be present in the water in most of the water purifiers. In fact, the same methodology has been previously applied to inactivate the viruses such as SARS [2] , nuclear polyhedrosis virus of Tvichoplusia [3] , infectious nucleic acid from tobacco mosaic virus [4] etc. For this reason, UV lamps are often called "germicidal" lamps. It is well established that UV radiation can destroy the outer protein coating of the SARS-Coronavirus, which is unalike virus from the current COVID-19 virus [1] , which was first reported in December 2019 and then characterized as a pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020. Since the pre-antibiotic era, the light-based germ inactivation strategies have been extensively used to prevent infections [2] . It is known that the high energy UV light is absorbed by the RNA and DNA bases, and lead to the photochemical fusion of two adjacent pyrimidine into covalently linked dimers, which then become non-pairing bases [5] . The low energy UV can cause pyrimidine the induction of dimers, and lead to the additional genetic destruction through the production of reactive oxygen species, which cause oxidization of bases and strand breaks [6] . The most commonly used UV sources for germicidal applications are mercury vapor arc lamp and xenon lamp, which emits the broad UV spectrum. It is important to note that direct exposure these lamps for germicidal applications is not possible in public space due to health hazard, both to the eyes and skin. However, UV light exposure can be effective against different strains of airborne viruses such as COVID-19 on the electronic devices and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits. However, each light based inactivation strategy has its pros and cons which should be carefully considered in designing a new microbial control strategy.

The role and availability of PPE kits is an important factor in combating the COVID-19

virus. The necessities of PPE kits have increased exponentially, as more and more countries are facing this pandemic, which has created a temporary shortage of PPE kits in many developing countries. This shortage has affected the morale of corona warriors, as more than 25k health workers have been infected from this virus. On the same time, if the used PPE kits were not scientifically handled and disposed, it will impose a threat to terrestrial, human health and marine J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f ecosystems. Therefore, it becomes vital to vet different options for PPE kits disposal or its reuse, to promote environmentally sound management of waste. Here, we report the challenges in ensuring adequate availability and consistent use of PPE in developing countries. In this aspect by shining the high intensity UV light on cloths, PPE kits, switched off electronic devices such as mobile phone, electronic watches, keys, plastic materials can be beneficial to disinfect the novel corona virus. The beauty of this idea lies in the fact that it may be an effective approach to dispose and reuse the PPE kits, which is really a big challenge in front of all countries.

As discussed in the earlier section that UV radiation is categorized into several energy ranging from 3.0 eV to 6.0 eV and can considered as "germicidal UV". This absorbed UV energy can disinfects including pyrimidine dimers, which can prevent the expression of necessary proteins, resulting in the death or inactivation of the organism. Therefore, taking these aspects in mind we have proposed the design of UV germicidal chamber as depicted in the figure 1. We propose the array of UV lights at the center (Xenon lamp) of aluminum cylindrical chamber. The internal surface of the cylinder must be polished to make the surface as highly reflecting surface.

The devices to be disinfected may be suspended as shown in figure-1. The direct light from UV source, multiple reflection from the inner surface of aluminum cylindrical chamber and long exposure time may lead to the inactivation of novel COVID-19.

The effectiveness of germicidal UV depends on the exposure time, wavelength of the UV radiation, a microorganism's ability to withstand UV during its exposure and the presence of particles that can protect the microorganisms from UV. It is worth noting here that in the proposed work, we have suggested the Xenon lamp source, which can produce the whole UV-Visible spectrum (200 nm-800 nm) and can thereby more effective to inactivate the novel COVID-19 virus. Most of the UV lamps which are available in the market have cylindrical geometry and maximum power upto ~36 watts. Thus, by considering the cylindrical geometry, the total amount of power at a distance R from the center of UV source varies as 1/2πRh (h is height of cylindrical lamp), and the power received at point P which is 5 cm away from the for center of 36 wattage and 5 cm long cylindrical UV lamp will be very close to 0.2 watt.

J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f Therefore, very good quality aluminum high reflecting surfaces and exposure time of nearly 40 minutes might be useful to deactivate the activity of this novel COVID-19 virus.

In the fight against novel COVID-19 pandemic, an old weapon i.e. UV radiations may have been re-emerged. The UV radiations may have a potential to disinfect the novel corona virus. The challenges in ensuring adequate availability of PPE kits may be resolved by shining the high intensity UV light on used cloths and PPE kits.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. 

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Inactivation of the coronavirus that induces severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS-CoV

The inactivation of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus of Trichoplusia ni by gamma and ultraviolet radiation

Inactivation of infectious nucleic acid from tobacco mosaic virus by ultraviolet light (2537 A)

Distribution and repair of bipyrimidine photoproducts in solar UVirradiated mammalian cells possible role of dewar photoproducts in solar mutagenesis

Direct and indirect effects of UV radiation on DNA and its components

Acknowledgements: Author like to thank director IIT Indore for encouragement. Dr. RavindraMakde from BARC Mumbai for important discussion. Authors sincerely acknowledge Mr.Ravinder Kumar from IIT Indore for fruitful discussion on shielding effect and assistance in designing the table of content.