Validation of UV-C lighting’s effectiveness on disinfecting the air

• Test results show that UV-C disinfection upper air luminaires inactivated 99.99% of SARS-COV-2 in the air of a room within 10 minutes

Eindhoven, the Netherlands – Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, together with Innovative Bioanalysis, a CAP, CLIA, AABB Certified Safety Reference Laboratory in Costa Mesa (California) have conducted research that validates the effectiveness of UV-C disinfection upper air luminaires on the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The UV-C disinfection upper air luminaires inactivated 99.99% of SARS-CoV-2 in the air of a room¹ within 10 minutes, and the virus was below detectable levels at 20 minutes.²

“Based on the understood method by which UV-C exposure deactivates pathogens, we would expect UV-C disinfection lighting to have a similar impact on the various genetic mutations of (SARS-CoV2),” said Sam Kabbani, Chief Scientific Officer at Innovative Bioanalysis.

“These test results illustrate the effectiveness of our UV-C disinfection upper air luminaires and the important contribution they can make towards fighting the coronavirus and future viruses,” said Harsh Chitale, Division Leader Digital Solutions at Signify. “It shows how UV-C lighting for upper air applications can be a successful preventive measure for organizations as they seek ways to provide their guests, customers and employees virus-free environments.”

Signify in 2020 increased the production of its UV-C light sources eight-fold in support of the fight against the coronavirus and acquired GLA to complement its portfolio with luminaires for upper-room air disinfection. Since then the company has installed UV-C disinfection upper air luminaires in several locations, including retailers EDEKA Clausen in Germany, dm in Slovakia, and Rugby Union Club Harlequins in the UK.

The height at which the luminaires are installed, in combination with the luminaires’ design, allows the system to disinfect air as it circulates a space, even when there are people present. Mechanical ventilation and/or natural convection moves the disinfected air back into the lower part of a space. Additionally, shielding and optics in the luminaires are designed to prevent accidental exposure to UV-C radiation for the people underneath them.³

For more than 35 years, Signify has been at the forefront of UV technology, and has a proven track record of innovation and strong application expertise in UV-C lighting. Signify’s UV-C lighting is designed, installed, and used according to the product-specific safety instructions, and manufactured using well-controlled industrial processes. UV-C light should always be used by professionals in accordance with the safety requirements and instructions.

² According to results obtained from a laboratory test conducted by Innovative Bioanalysis, a CAP, CLIA, AABB Certified Safety Reference Laboratory, in a room with sufficient air circulation. For more information, please refer to the test report available here.

³ The germicidal effectiveness of UV-C light sources is proportional to the exposure time of the microorganism to the UV-C light source and the intensity of the UV-C light source. Therefore, sufficient air flow in the room (which may be achieved through forced air flow or natural convection) is required for effective operation of Signify’s UV-C upper air disinfection luminaire solutions.