Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation of influenza-contaminated N95 filtering facepiece respirators

Mills, Devin; Harnish, Delbert A.; Lawrence, Caryn; Sandoval-Powers, Megan; Heimbuch, Brian K.

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2018.02.018

Cited by 236 publications

(356 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Reuse of disposable N95 masks after decontamination is not recommended, primarily because of concerns that decontamination would degrade the performance of respirators (2,3,7). Our study provides further support for these prior recommendations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This team was tasked with determining feasibility of mask decontamination within our health system. Prior studies have investigated how decontamination procedures, including ethanol, ultraviolet light, and vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) alter N95 mask integrity (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8), but it is unclear how effective these sterilization procedures are at destroying SARS-CoV-2. Here we investigate the effect of different decontamination methods on disposable N95 mask integrity and on removing the infectious potential of SARS-CoV-2.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of various decontamination procedures on disposable N95 mask integrity and SARS-CoV-2 infectivity

Smith

Hanseler²,

Welle

et al. 2020

Preprint

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The COVID-19 pandemic has created a high demand on personal protective equipment, including disposable N95 masks. Given the need for mask reuse, we tested the feasibility of vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP), ultraviolet light (UV), and ethanol decontamination strategies on N95 mask integrity and the ability to remove the infectious potential of SARS-CoV-2. FIT test data showed functional degradation by both ethanol and UV decontamination to different degrees. VHP treated masks showed no significant change in function after two treatments. We also report a single SARS-CoV-2 virucidal experiment using Vero E6 cell infection. We hope our data will guide further research for evidenced-based decisions for disposable N95 mask reuse and help protect caregivers from SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of various decontamination procedures on disposable N95 mask integrity and SARS-CoV-2 infectivity

Smith

Hanseler²,

Welle

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…Generally, studies find a much lower dose needed to inactivate virus on gel or plate-based media compared to FFRs such as the N95 mask. 2,3 The feasibility of our approach for decontaminating FFRs is therefore limited by the long-time duration (at least 4.3 hours per side) needed to achieve a germicidal UV-C dose on the floor of a BSC.…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Each of the nine sections per elevation shows the UV radiation measured in the section. Numbers indicate UV radiation measured in each location with the UV meter.The literature on this subject, including a recent CDC summary, suggests that a dose of at least 1 Jcm −2 of UV-C is required to decontaminate FFRs 3,[14][15][16]. Hospitals can, of course, choose a different target dose based on their internal risk analysis.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

UV Sterilization of Personal Protective Equipment with Idle Laboratory Biosafety Cabinets During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Weaver

McElvany

Gopalakrishnan

et al. 2020

Preprint

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DISCLAIMER: This article does not represent the official recommendation of the Cleveland Clinic or CaseWestern Reserve University School of Medicine, nor has it yet been peer reviewed. We are releasing it early, pre-peer review, to allow for quick dissemination/vetting by the scientific/clinical community given the necessity for rapid conservation of personal protective equipment (PPE) during this dire global situation. We welcome feedback from the community.Personal protective equipment (PPE), including face shields, surgical masks, and N95 respirators, is crucially important to the safety of both patients and medical personnel, particularly in the event of an infectious pandemic. As the incidence of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) increases exponentially in the United States and worldwide, healthcare provider demand for these necessities is currently outpacing supply. As such, strategies to extend the lifespan of the supply of medical equipment as safely as possible are critically important. In the midst of the current pandemic, there has been a concerted effort to identify viable ways to conserve PPE, including decontamination after use. Some hospitals have already begun using UV-C light to decontaminate N95 respirators and other PPE, but many lack the space or equipment to implement existing protocols. In this study, we outline a procedure by which PPE may be decontaminated using ultraviolet (UV) radiation in biosafety cabinets (BSCs), a common element of many academic, public health, and hospital laboratories, and discuss the dose ranges needed for effective decontamination of critical PPE. We further discuss obstacles to this approach including the possibility that the UV radiation levels vary within BSCs. Effective decontamination of N95 respirator masks or surgical masks requires UV-C doses of greater than 1 Jcm −2 , which would take a minimum of 4.3 hours per side when placing the N95 at the bottom of the BSCs tested in this study. Elevating the N95 mask by 48 cm (so that it lies 19 cm from the top of the BSC) would enable the delivery of germicidal doses of UV-C in 62 minutes per side. Effective decontamination of face shields likely requires a much lower UV-C dose, and may be achieved by placing the face shields at the bottom of the BSC for 20 minutes per side. Our results are intended to provide support to healthcare organizations looking for alternative methods to extend their reserves of PPE. We recognize that institutions will require robust quality control processes to guarantee the efficacy of any implemented decontamination protocol. We also recognize that in certain situations such institutional resources may not be available; while we subscribe to the general principle that some degree of decontamination is preferable to re-use without decontamination, we would strongly advise that in such cases at least some degree of on-site verification of UV dose delivery be performed.

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“…N95 FFRs can be decontaminated and re-used several times without loss of protective efficacy [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Although a wide variety of decontamination modalities effectively decontaminate N95 FFRs, some of these modalities (such as spraying with alcohol) degrade the mask material's aerosol filtration abilities or alter subsequent FFR fit [4].…”

Section: Background and Rationale For Ultraviolet-c Germicidal Irradimentioning

confidence: 99%

Homegrown Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation for Hospital-Based N95 Decontamination during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Schnell

Harriff

Yates

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Coronavirus disease , the disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, is responsible for the 2020 global pandemic and characterized by high transmissibility and morbidity. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk of contracting COVID-19, and this risk is mitigated through the use of personal protective equipment such as N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs). The high demand for FFRs is not currently met by global supply chains, potentially placing HCWs at increased exposure risk. Effective FFR decontamination modalities exist, which could maintain respiratory protection for HCWs in the midst of the current pandemic, through the decontamination and re-use of FFRs. Here, we present a locally-implemented ultraviolet-C germicidal irradiation (UVGI)-based FFR decontamination pathway, utilizing a home-built UVGI array assembled entirely with previously existing components available at our institution. We provide recommendations on the construction of similar systems, as well as guidance and strategies towards successful institutional implementation of FFR decontamination.

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Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation of influenza-contaminated N95 filtering facepiece respirators

Abstract: These data suggest that FFR decontamination and reuse using UVGI can be effective. Implementation of a UVGI method will require careful consideration of FFR model, material type, and design.

Cited by 236 publications

References 18 publications

Effect of various decontamination procedures on disposable N95 mask integrity and SARS-CoV-2 infectivity

Effect of various decontamination procedures on disposable N95 mask integrity and SARS-CoV-2 infectivity

UV Sterilization of Personal Protective Equipment with Idle Laboratory Biosafety Cabinets During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Homegrown Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation for Hospital-Based N95 Decontamination during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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