About SARS-CoV-2 and the use of Solaris® and UVPhotoMAX™ air purification products to help reduce the populations of this microorganism in indoor environments.
A viral challenge study designed by the independent testing firm Innovative Bioanalysis, Inc. of Costa Mesa, California confirms the efficacy of the Ultravation® UVPhotoMAX™ PTE/PTX Photocatalytic Air Purifier and the Ultravation® Solaris Photocatalytic Air Purifier for use against coronaviruses, specifically SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Odor, VOC, toxic chemical and pathogen destruction PCO system** and PCO formulation was Ultravation proprietary patented*** TiO2 plus Ag+Zn ion.
UV light has been proven and in use for disinfection since the 1930s
While not that widely known for its usefulness, UV light technology for disinfection is not new. Ultravation, Inc. has been engineering UV-C disinfection products for residential and commercial applications for over 20 years. A major focus of our company is to design and manufacture devices that reduce or eliminate unwanted biological growth on air conditioning internal components. These include AC coils and blowers, drain pans and ductwork, as well as HVAC airstream sterilization, all using UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation).
Recognized by ASHRAE, the EPA and the CDC
UV technology is recognized and endorsed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the CDC, and the EPA. In fact, it is the only air disinfection technology that is supported by (ASHRAE) as being effective. See ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications, Chap. 62, Ultraviolet Air and Surface Treatment. In ASHRAE’s Pandemic Preparedness online advice, they state: “Consider adding air treatment and cleaning devices such as UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) in duct, plenums, and air handling units and on the face of cooling coils.” See https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/commercial#pandemic
How effective is UV specifically in deactivating SARS-CoV-2?
Germicidal UVC light has been proven effective to inactivate many microorganisms. As noted above, ASHRAE acknowledges UV’s ability to destroy viruses, bacteria, and fungi. In testing UV for the elimination of specific microorganisms, it is determined how much UV energy it takes and how long of an exposure time is needed for a given species to be inactivated. In the case of the coronavirus, SARS-CoV that caused the SARS outbreak in 2003, it was shown by 2004 that the virus was highly sensitive to germicidal UV light, and kill-rate UV dose calculations were made. New data now exists in 2020 that supports the assumption that the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 has similar UV sensitivity, and specifics are being developed.
Engineering calculations for Solaris UV
Solaris UV lights, using Ultravation T3™ technology, emit up to 40% more germicidal energy and last twice as long as typical UV lamps. Engineering calculations have been made that show the anticipated performance of a Solaris IAQ Module operating two T3 UV lamps.
The percentage of disinfection in ductwork calculations are based on the intensity at the end of lamp life (18,000 hours).
* Many strains of coronavirus have been identified and tested for UV sensitivity. The chart lists two of these strains.
Download Solaris Efficacy PCO-UV Summary
Download UVPhotoMAX Efficacy PCO-UV Summary
Downloads
Download UVPhotoMAX Data Sheet
Conclusions
Solaris® Whole House Air Purifier and the UVPhotoMAX™ devices from Ultravation® performed to manufacturer specifications and demonstrated a dramatic reduction of active virus after 30 minutes of exposure. The live SARS-CoV-2 virus was not detectable after 30 minutes of exposure, (levels were below the 120 TCID50 / ml limit of quantification). Taking into consideration the starting concentration of active SARS-CoV-2 virus, the sprayed inoculation method, the volume inoculated, one could assume that the likelihood of an environment with this quantity of pathogen in a real-life circumstance to be unlikely. When aerosolizing pathogens and collecting said pathogens, there are variables that cannot be fully accounted for, namely, placement of pathogen, collection volume, collection points, drop rate, surface saturation, viral destruction on collection, viral destruction on nebulization, and possibly others. Every effort was made to address these constraints with the design and execution of the trial. And these efforts are reflected in the meaningful recovery of virus in the control test. There was a large amount of sterilization achieved by the Solaris® Whole House Air Purifier and the UVPhotoMAX™ devices from Ultravation® in the first 30 minutes. The reduction on surfaces was significant and consistent with the manufacturer’s claims. Overall, the Solaris® Whole House Air Purifier and the UVPhotoMAX™ devices showed substantial efficacy in the destruction of SARS-CoV-2 USA-CA1/2020 on surfaces.