Study: UV

Detroit-based Freestyle Partners has demonstrated that its portable, handheld BeamClean filtered Far UV-C device effectively reduced pathogens on hospital surfaces in seconds.

The Central Texas Veterans Health Care System conducted the first-of-its-kind study, the results of which showed the potential that these hand-held filtered Far UV-C devices can be an alternative or adjunct to standard chemical disinfectant cleaning measures in health care facilities, especially on surfaces where harsh chemicals may corrode or are prohibited.

"We are excited about the results of this study, the efficacy of the technology to reduce surface pathogens in a real hospital setting and anticipate further enthusiastic responses from users at other health care facilities," says Jennifer Rosen, co-founder of Freestyle Partners.

"Freestyle Partners is conducting ongoing studies to show real-world results, and the human-safe efficacy of filtered Far UV-C in a portable, handheld format. We believe this disruptive technology has global application across business sectors and consumer use."

Conventional UV-C light has been used for more than 100 years to disinfect operating rooms in hospitals but requires clearing a room and/or wearing protective gear to guard those applying it from harmful side effects — like skin cancer and cataracts.

Filtered Far UV-C technology was developed by a team of researchers led by David Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University. Studies have shown the technology has the same efficacy as conventional UV-C and is proven safe when used within the current American Conference of Governmental Hygienists (ACGIH) dose limits when humans are present because it does not penetrate the layer of dead cells on skin or the tear layer of the eye.

In the Texas study, a variety of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including E. coli and MRSA, were identified on hospital surfaces. The portable, handheld filtered Far UV-C device inactivated these bacteria and other pathogens in seconds. The speed of inactivation with the device offers several inherent user benefits compared to traditional chemical disinfectants, according to Freestyle Partners.

The filtered Far UV-C device disinfects surfaces in less than 30 seconds compared to the two to four minutes or more dwell time with chemical disinfectants, so disinfection is likely to happen more frequently. The device also is designed to be easy to use and environmentally friendly, eliminating the waste associated with chemical wipes.

The study also indicates that filtered Far UV-C is a promising technology that could be a much-needed solution utilized in health care settings by staff on commonly touched surfaces. Testing shows filtered Far UV-C can be used as an in-hospital, non-chemical, low-level disinfectant with the potential for frequent use by nursing and hospital staff.

While airborne pathogens have been a primary focus over the last several years due to COVID-19, surface pathogens also are of utmost concern, especially with the rate of Healthcare-Acquired Infections (HAIs) rapidly increasing and the need for more effective solutions for disinfecting commonly touched surfaces in hospitals, office buildings, schools, and during travel.

HAIs continue to be a costly and life-threatening issue for health care facilities with more than 1.7 million cases annually in U.S. hospitals. Surface pathogens can persist for days to months and studies show that 50 percent of surfaces in the health care environment do not receive adequate levels of disinfection during manual chemical cleaning.

Additionally, chemical cleaning can be time consuming, unsafe to perform around patients, harmful to the environment, and ineffective as pathogens become resistant to various chemical disinfectants. HAIs are estimated to cost the U.S. health care system $28 billion to $33 billion in related costs annually.

Findings from the study are available in the American Journal of Infection Control.