CombatCOVID: UV disinfection trolley built to kill micro-organisms

Hyderabad: To fight against COVID-19 by rapid cleaning of hospital environment, and other public spaces, the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), an autonomous R&D Centre of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India has developed a UVC based disinfection trolley. The joint initiative is a result of collaboration between the University of Hyderabad and Hyderabad based Mekins Industries.

UV light in the range of wavelengths between 200 and 300 nm is capable of inactivating microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, thus disinfecting both air and solid surfaces.

Prof Ashutosh Sharma, secretary to the Government of India, Department of Science and Technology said, "Dry disinfection and sterilization of hospital rooms, instruments and other surfaces in the high risk areas using deep ultraviolet light is a good solution, which is implemented by the designer trolley in a compelling package that brings in ease, speed and efficiency."

The department of science and technology said rapid decontamination of the used patient-care beds and hospital rooms before admission of subsequent occupants is a major requirement in hospitals in view of the limited availability of beds. Coronavirus is sensitive to UVC light, as

in the case of other viruses and bacteria. The germicidal effects of UVC irradiation with a peak intensity at 254 nm results in cellular damage of the virus, thereby inhibiting cellular replication.

Often, chemical disinfectants are not enough to remove the bacteria and viruses found in hospitals and other contamination prone environments. Unlike chemical approaches to disinfection, UV light provides rapid, effective inactivation of microorganisms through a physical process. This is also expected to be helpful in malls, hotels, offices, airports, railways, etc.

Mr. Mayank Agarwal CEO, Mekins Industries Limited said, “We are also working to completely automate this trolley and the robotic version of the same will be released shortly which will be IOT enabled. The UVC disinfection trolley is very helpful to disinfect hospitals, airports, malls, railway coaches, offices & factories. We are also coming up with UVC based box to disinfect items (like purse, wallet, mobile, helmet, keys, courier boxes, etc) which we get into our house & offices”.