Scientists discover safe UV light that can kill flu virus in public spaces

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12– Researchers have discovered a special type
of untraviolet (UV) light that can kill airborne flu viruses without
harming human tissues, according to a new study.

Broad-spectrum ultraviolet C (UVC) light, which has a wavelength of between
200 to 400 nanometers, has been routinely used to kill bacteria and viruses
by destroying the molecular bonds that hold their DNA
together.”Unfortunately, conventional germicidal UV light is also a human
health hazard and can lead to skin cancer and cataracts, which prevents its
use in public spaces,” said David J. Brenner, lead author and director of
the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University Irving Medical
Center, in a press release published on the university’s website.By
contrast, the study found that continuous low doses of far-UVC light, which
is around 207 to 222 nanometers in wavelength, is capable to inactivate
more than 95 percent of aerosolized H1N1 flu virus in a lab setting.

Moreover, earlier studies have proved that far-UVC light is not harmful to
the human body.”Far-UVC light has a very limited range and cannot penetrate
through the outer dead-cell layer of human skin or the tear layer in the
eye, so it’s not a human health hazard,” said Brenner. “But because viruses
and bacteria are much smaller than human cells, far-UVC light can reach
their DNA and kill them.”If these results are confirmed in other scenarios,
the use of overhead far-UVC light in hospitals, doctors’ offices, schools,
airports, airplanes and other public spaces could provide a powerful check
on seasonal flu epidemics and pandemics, said the study.Flu activity
continues to increase across the United States, making the season the most
recent “high” severity season, said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention in a report on Friday.
At least 63 children have died from flu this winter, it added. – XINHUA