Oude Meer, the Netherlands (September 2020) — Dr. Hiroki Ohge, Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, Hiroshima University Hospital, and a group of researchers lead by Dr. Takemasa Sakaguchi, Professor, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, have completed a research study that demonstrates that irradiation with a Care222® module’s filtered 222 nm far UV-C light effectively reduces SARS-CoV-2 in an in-vitro experiment. This is the first study conducted in the world on the efficacy of 222 nm UV-C light against SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes the COVID-19 disease. The research paper regarding this study is published on the American Journal of Infection Control.
In this study, Ushio’s Care222® UV-C disinfection* module was placed 24 cm above the surface of the plates in which the viral samples were placed. The radiation intensity at the surface of the plates was 0.1 mW/cm2. The study showed that 3 mJ/cm2 of 222 nm light resulted in at least a 99.7% reduction of viable SARS-CoV-2 samples. The researchers concluded that the study demonstrated the effectiveness of 222 nm UV-C irradiation on SARS-CoV-2. The researchers further noted that the results suggest that the 222 nm UV-C technology could be used for infection prevention and control against COVID-19 both in occupied and unoccupied spaces.
Use Care222® filtered 222 nm far UV-C light in occupied spaces
It is important to use filtered 222 nm UV-C light in occupied spaces. Unfiltered 222 nm UV-C lamps will emit radiation in the 230 nm (UV-C) to 320 nm (UV-B) range. Failure to block these higher wavelengths of UV radiation has been reported to cause erythema and damage to cellular DNA at a considerably greater epidermal depth than that of filtered 222 nm light.
Ushio’s Care222® device features a specially designed band pass filter that filters harmful, longer UV wavelengths from the lamp.
For more information about the properties of 222 nm UV light and Care222® excimer lamps, please visit https://www.ushio.eu/care222-uv-disinfection/.
*Any references to “disinfection” are referring generally to the reduction of pathogenic bio-burden and are not intended to refer to any specific definition of the term as may be used for other purposes by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or any other regulatory body across the globe. The Care222® standard character mark and stylised logo mark are registered trademarks of Ushio America, Inc., in the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom.
About Ushio Europe B.V.
Ushio Europe does not simply sell lighting products, but instead seeks to understand your specific needs and present you with unique solutions. Ushio has amassed a wealth of in-house specialist knowledge and localised expertise, with dedicated facilities designed and implemented for the testing of ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light solutions. From the early stages of research and development to the final implementation, Ushio Europe commits to the technical development of your process solution until you are 100% satisfied with the outcome. The Ushio aftercare team is legendary thanks to its understanding that needs change along with the processes that solve them. With that in mind, Ushio’s experts are always available for your questions and any additional modifications that come up further down the line. From advising how to ensure the safety of your clients and co-workers with our UV disinfection expertise, to passing on relevant lessons from decades of UV development for industrial uses, Ushio uniquely tailors each individual project to the client. This is how the company provides results that reach so far beyond your expectations. Ushio does not merely wish to meet your requirements; it vows to surpass them entirely.
Further Reading with Ushio Europe
Kobe University-Ushio Joint Study Finds Repetitive Irradiation with 222 nm UV-C Does Not Cause Skin Cancer (April 2020)
Ushio Care222® Far UV-C Disinfection Modules (detailed specifications)
Excimer: The Technology Explained – An Ushio Europe learning resource
