Ultraviolet-C and other methods of decontamination of filtering facepiece N-95 respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic

During global health emergencies such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, the decontamination of single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) becomes a necessary means to keep up with the growing demand from healthcare workers and patients alike. Many unverified methods are being considered, which c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences 2020-06, Vol.19 (6), p.746-751
Main Authors: Torres, Angeli Eloise, Lyons, Alexis B, Narla, Shanthi, Kohli, Indermeet, Parks-Miller, Angela, Ozog, David, Hamzavi, Iltefat H, Lim, Henry W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biochemistry
Biomaterials
Chemistry
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Decontamination
Global health
Hydrogen peroxide
Irradiation
Medical personnel
Pandemics
Pathogens
Perspective
Physical Chemistry
Plant Sciences
Protective equipment
Respirators
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Steaming
Sterilization
Ultraviolet radiation
Vaporization
Viral diseases
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Summary:During global health emergencies such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, the decontamination of single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) becomes a necessary means to keep up with the growing demand from healthcare workers and patients alike. Many unverified methods are being considered, which can pose the risk of incomplete decontamination and lead to catastrophic results. Several factors come into play when determining the suitability of such methods including the quality of the decontamination technique, the targeted pathogen, cost, ease of installation and use, rate of sterilization, and the surface or material to be sterilized. The germicidal properties of ultraviolet-C are well known. This review will cover the most commonly described methods for the sterilization of N95 respirators, namely, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, hydrogen peroxide vaporization, microwave-generated steaming, and dry heating. These techniques have been tested previously and have demonstrated efficacy in reducing or inactivating viral and bacterial pathogens, although testing against SARS-CoV-2 specifically has not been done. Moreover, it must be emphasized that proper disposal after a single use is still ideal under normal circumstances. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation is one method for decontamination of N-95 filtering facepiece respirators to facilitate reuse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other techniques include hydrogen peroxide vaporization, microwave-generated steaming, and dry heating.
ISSN:1474-905X
1474-9092
1474-9092
DOI:10.1039/d0pp00131g