UV-Based Technologies for SARS-CoV2 Inactivation: Status and Perspectives

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiologic agent of COVID-19, which has affected the international healthcare systems since the beginning of 2020. Among sanitizing approaches, UV irradiation is a well-known technology often used in different environments to reduce the microbial contamination and the viral transmission. In particular, several works have demonstrated that UVC radiation is able to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 compromising its viral genome and virion integrity. With this work we review and analyze the current status of the pandemic and the state of the art of the UV technology. With traditional UVC discharge lamps having a serious environmental issue, due to their working principle based on mercury, a primary focus is shifted on the aluminum gallium nitride based deep-ultraviolet light emitting diodes. These devices are exploited for compact and environmentally friendly disinfection systems, but efficiency and reliability still play a limiting role into their mass market adoption and system efficacy. In this work we then analyze the latest reports on the effects of dose and wavelength on viral inactivation, thus providing two key pillars for the development of UVC based disinfection systems: the status of the technology and a quantitative evaluation of the dose required to achieve an effective coronavirus inactivation.