Verification of inactivation effect of deep-ultraviolet LEDs on bacteria and viruses, and consideration of effective irradiation methods

With the widespread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the inactivation of bacteria and viruses using ultraviolet (UV) light has been reevaluated. However, there are many applications where the safety to the human body itself and inactivation effect itself are questioned, and there is a movement to review the UV-C guidelines (Global Lighting Association, Position Statement on Germicidal UV-C Irradiation UV-C SAFETY GUIDELINES, 2020). Since the Minamata Convention on Mercurybans the production of mercury in principle, deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UVC-LEDs) are now being used in place of mercury lamps. In this paper, we will discuss effective irradiation methods for the inactivation of pathogens on solid surfaces, the inactivation of pathogens in water, and the inactivation of viruses in aerosols using UVC-LED.