Evaluating an Ultraviolet C System for Use During SARS-CoV2 Pandemic and Personal Protective Equipment Shortage
Purpose: The supply of N95 masks and filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) has been limited nationally owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Ultraviolet C (UVC) light has been suggested as a potential option for decontamination of FFRs by the Centers for Disease Control. There has been a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Advances in Radiation Oncology |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452109420303663 |
| _version_ | 1818871459884302336 |
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| author | Emily F. Dunn, MD Adil Akhtar, ME Adam Dunn, MSEd Scott Lacey, PhD Ethan Pauley, BA Colton Powers, BS James McKee, MS Daniel Petereit, MD |
| author_facet | Emily F. Dunn, MD Adil Akhtar, ME Adam Dunn, MSEd Scott Lacey, PhD Ethan Pauley, BA Colton Powers, BS James McKee, MS Daniel Petereit, MD |
| author_sort | Emily F. Dunn, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: The supply of N95 masks and filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) has been limited nationally owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Ultraviolet C (UVC) light has been suggested as a potential option for decontamination of FFRs by the Centers for Disease Control. There has been a lack of publications characterizing UVC dose distribution across FFRs. Methods and Materials: A UVC light box and FFR rack system was assembled using low-pressure mercury lamps peaked at 254 nm and aluminum flashing to reduce shadowing effect. Dose was characterized with the use of ultraviolet (UV) intensity labels and an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) National Institute of Standards and Technology traceable meter. Ozone production was evaluated after extended bulb run time. Results: Calibration of UV intensity labels was noted to have color-change saturation at 100 mJ/cm2. Dose measurements with the UV intensity labels on the FFR demonstrated symmetrical dose to all surfaces, but symmetry was not supported by measurements with the UVGI meter. There was substantial dose fall off on the lateral aspects of the FFR. No ozone production was noted in the UVC system. Conclusions: UV intensity labels for characterization of dose provided a false suggestion of symmetry compared with the UVGI meter. Estimates of appropriate exposure times to reach 1000 mJ/cm2 should be significantly increased to account for geometry of FFR and lateral dose fall off. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:23:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3a46e68fa63f4061aa153d7e2d4659f2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2452-1094 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:23:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advances in Radiation Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3a46e68fa63f4061aa153d7e2d4659f22022-12-21T20:21:39ZengElsevierAdvances in Radiation Oncology2452-10942021-03-0162100636Evaluating an Ultraviolet C System for Use During SARS-CoV2 Pandemic and Personal Protective Equipment ShortageEmily F. Dunn, MD0Adil Akhtar, ME1Adam Dunn, MSEd2Scott Lacey, PhD3Ethan Pauley, BA4Colton Powers, BS5James McKee, MS6Daniel Petereit, MD7Department of Radiation Oncology, Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Center, Eugene, Oregon; Corresponding author: Emily F. Dunn, MDDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Center, Eugene, OregonEugene, OregonDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Center, Eugene, OregonUniversity of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Rapid City, South DakotaUniversity of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Rapid City, South DakotaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Monument Health Cancer Care Institute, Rapid City, South DakotaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Monument Health Cancer Care Institute, Rapid City, South DakotaPurpose: The supply of N95 masks and filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) has been limited nationally owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Ultraviolet C (UVC) light has been suggested as a potential option for decontamination of FFRs by the Centers for Disease Control. There has been a lack of publications characterizing UVC dose distribution across FFRs. Methods and Materials: A UVC light box and FFR rack system was assembled using low-pressure mercury lamps peaked at 254 nm and aluminum flashing to reduce shadowing effect. Dose was characterized with the use of ultraviolet (UV) intensity labels and an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) National Institute of Standards and Technology traceable meter. Ozone production was evaluated after extended bulb run time. Results: Calibration of UV intensity labels was noted to have color-change saturation at 100 mJ/cm2. Dose measurements with the UV intensity labels on the FFR demonstrated symmetrical dose to all surfaces, but symmetry was not supported by measurements with the UVGI meter. There was substantial dose fall off on the lateral aspects of the FFR. No ozone production was noted in the UVC system. Conclusions: UV intensity labels for characterization of dose provided a false suggestion of symmetry compared with the UVGI meter. Estimates of appropriate exposure times to reach 1000 mJ/cm2 should be significantly increased to account for geometry of FFR and lateral dose fall off.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452109420303663 |
| spellingShingle | Emily F. Dunn, MD Adil Akhtar, ME Adam Dunn, MSEd Scott Lacey, PhD Ethan Pauley, BA Colton Powers, BS James McKee, MS Daniel Petereit, MD Evaluating an Ultraviolet C System for Use During SARS-CoV2 Pandemic and Personal Protective Equipment Shortage Advances in Radiation Oncology |
| title | Evaluating an Ultraviolet C System for Use During SARS-CoV2 Pandemic and Personal Protective Equipment Shortage |
| title_full | Evaluating an Ultraviolet C System for Use During SARS-CoV2 Pandemic and Personal Protective Equipment Shortage |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating an Ultraviolet C System for Use During SARS-CoV2 Pandemic and Personal Protective Equipment Shortage |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating an Ultraviolet C System for Use During SARS-CoV2 Pandemic and Personal Protective Equipment Shortage |
| title_short | Evaluating an Ultraviolet C System for Use During SARS-CoV2 Pandemic and Personal Protective Equipment Shortage |
| title_sort | evaluating an ultraviolet c system for use during sars cov2 pandemic and personal protective equipment shortage |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452109420303663 |
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