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Investigating the benefits of UV airstream disinfection

Gregor Riese of the Opira Group discusses the effectiveness of ultraviolet airstream disinfection in healthcare facilities, drawing on a study at a hospital in Pennsylvania which demonstrated a more than 90% reduction in airborne and surface pathogen levels in UV-treated zones compared with non-UV treated zones.

In an article that first appeared in the Institute of Healthcare Engineering, Australia’s magazine, Healthcare Facilities, Gregor Riese of the Opira Group discusses the effectiveness of ultraviolet airstream disinfection in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. He draws on a recent year-long study at a hospital in Pennsylvania which demonstrated a more than 90% reduction in airborne and surface pathogen levels in UV-treated zones compared with non-UV treated zones.

Real-world evidence for the impact of ultraviolet (UV) disinfection of moving airstreams on pathogens, and the demonstrated health benefits for building occupants, is slowly accumulating in scientific literature. Unlike ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) targeting surfaces on cooling coils, hospital wards, or upper UV air disinfection, very few case studies on the impact of UVGI on air quality and health outcomes have been reported to date. Such information is important for building owners and facility managers considering airstream disinfection, particularly with the advent of the COVID pandemic, and heightened awareness of the potential of disease spread within indoor spaces via aerosols.

What is UV airstream disinfection?

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