tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Photochem Photobiol Sci
. 2022 Jul 21.
doi: 10.1007/s43630-022-00268-2. Online ahead of print.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of UV-C dose for photoinactivation of SARS-CoV-2 in contaminated N95 respirator, surgical and cotton fabric masks
Patrícia Metolina[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Lilian Gomes de Oliveira[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Bruno Ramos[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yan de Souza Angelo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Paola Minoprio[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Antonio Carlos Silva Costa Teixeira[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
As part of efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and decrease the high transmissibility of the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, effective inactivation strategies, such as UV-C decontamination technologies, can be reliably disseminated and well-studied. The present study investigated the susceptibility of a high viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) N95, surgical mask, cotton fabric mask and N95 straps under three different doses of UV-C, applying both real-time PCR (qPCR) and plaque formation assays to quantify viral load reduction and virus infectivity, respectively. The results show that more than 95% of the amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA could be reduced after 10 min of UV-C exposure (0.93 J cm[SUP]-2[/SUP] per side) in FFR N95 and surgical masks and, after 5 min of UV-C treatment (0.46 J cm[SUP]-2[/SUP] per side) in fabric masks. Furthermore, the analysis of viable coronaviruses after these different UV-C treatments demonstrated that the lowest applied dose is sufficient to decontaminate all masks ([Formula: see text] 3-log[SUB]10[/SUB] reduction of the infective viral load, > 99.9% reduction). However, for the elastic strap of N95 respirators, a UV-C dose three times greater than that used in masks (1.4 J cm[SUP]-2[/SUP] per side) is required. The findings suggest that the complete decontamination of masks can be performed effectively and safely in well-planned protocols for pandemic crises or as strategies to reduce the high consumption and safe disposal of these materials in the environment.
Keywords: Covid-19; Personal protective equipment reuse; Plaque-forming units (PFU); Real-time PCR; SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus; UV disinfection.
. 2022 Jul 21.
doi: 10.1007/s43630-022-00268-2. Online ahead of print.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of UV-C dose for photoinactivation of SARS-CoV-2 in contaminated N95 respirator, surgical and cotton fabric masks
Patrícia Metolina[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Lilian Gomes de Oliveira[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Bruno Ramos[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yan de Souza Angelo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Paola Minoprio[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Antonio Carlos Silva Costa Teixeira[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35864345
- DOI: 10.1007/s43630-022-00268-2
Abstract
As part of efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and decrease the high transmissibility of the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, effective inactivation strategies, such as UV-C decontamination technologies, can be reliably disseminated and well-studied. The present study investigated the susceptibility of a high viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) N95, surgical mask, cotton fabric mask and N95 straps under three different doses of UV-C, applying both real-time PCR (qPCR) and plaque formation assays to quantify viral load reduction and virus infectivity, respectively. The results show that more than 95% of the amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA could be reduced after 10 min of UV-C exposure (0.93 J cm[SUP]-2[/SUP] per side) in FFR N95 and surgical masks and, after 5 min of UV-C treatment (0.46 J cm[SUP]-2[/SUP] per side) in fabric masks. Furthermore, the analysis of viable coronaviruses after these different UV-C treatments demonstrated that the lowest applied dose is sufficient to decontaminate all masks ([Formula: see text] 3-log[SUB]10[/SUB] reduction of the infective viral load, > 99.9% reduction). However, for the elastic strap of N95 respirators, a UV-C dose three times greater than that used in masks (1.4 J cm[SUP]-2[/SUP] per side) is required. The findings suggest that the complete decontamination of masks can be performed effectively and safely in well-planned protocols for pandemic crises or as strategies to reduce the high consumption and safe disposal of these materials in the environment.
Keywords: Covid-19; Personal protective equipment reuse; Plaque-forming units (PFU); Real-time PCR; SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus; UV disinfection.