29 Jun DOST Tests UV-C Disinfection Cabinet Of Engr. Paras
Mga higala! ICYMI, the Regional Standards and Testing Laboratories (RSTL) of the Department of Science and Technology Region 10 (DOST-X) has recently tested the “Parazapp” UV Disinfection Cabinet of Engr. Elpidio M. Paras, which uses ultraviolet C or UV-C light to kill bacteria and viruses!
The said device showed promise in disinfecting face masks, which can help in the fight against COVID-19.
The RSTL tested N95 face mask samples with Escherichia Coli (E. coli) bacteria and subjected the samples to different exposure times from 30 seconds to five minutes in the disinfection cabinet.
Their report said that they “achieved 83 percent to 97 percent reduction of E. coli populations when used for five minutes.”
However, “At least 24 minutes of exposure inside the Parazapp may be needed to achieve a 99.99 percent reduction of E. coli populations in the masks, and at least 38 minutes may be needed to achieve 99.9999 percent reduction.”
DOST also added that “It is worth noting that disinfection through UV radiation also has its limitations. UV disinfection is most effective for flat, non-porous surfaces, and transparent substances. PPEs that are multi-layered and made of opaque materials may not achieve proper disinfection. UV radiation also poses threats of skin and eye damage to operators when exposed without protection.”
According to the said agency, the device can potentially be used to disinfect viruses in PPE and other medical equipment and devices, but further research and development are needed.
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