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COVID-19 Emergency - Using UV Lamps to sanitize Face Masks overnight

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Houseman:
Hi all forum.
I’m Steve writing from Milan in the north of Italy where the Covid-19 emergency is by far the most significant here than in other parts of Italy.

As you may know (what happens in all Europe) we have a shortage in the supply of the non-reusable FFP3 face masks and the ones only available are used and reused for days even more than the datasheet suggests.
Here doctors are even forced to work using simple tissue dentist masks.
Having a wife that is a doctor I am wondering if using technology I could avoid in some ways the danger of reusing the same mask over and over maybe touching her face with a contaminated mask.
So I was thinking building her a 222-nm far-UVC light lamp in a box, where she can put the mask after use and being sanitized during the night.
I have read about Far UV lamps and the capability to kill germs and viruses:
Here an article on pubmed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5807439/

I am asking if you think it is a good choice other than maybe change the internal carbon filter.

So I would like, if possible, start a thread in order to discuss and maybe be helpful also for other people and other countries since we have seen the pandemia is spreading worldwide and it will last for months.

Best regards and thanks.

Steve

Mechatrommer:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/2019-novel-coronavirus-myth-versus-fact
normal mask is likely not to protect you at all, you are more likely to get covid through your hand, skin or cloth contact. always wash your hand when you think you touched contaminated area, and your face too if someone sneeze or cough on your face, dont poke your eye, mouth nose with unwashed hand. be safe.

SuzyC:
UV will kill bacteria but might also damage the mask fabric by ozone attack.

Why not a quick solution: dip/spray with > 64% C2H302 and then hair-dryer dried?

The Covid-19 Corona virus is encased in a lipid (a fatty cover) that is quickly dissolved by ethanol.

mzzj:
I'd suggest overnight in 60 degrees oven, sauna or other improvised heat source.

CoV is similar to Ebola aka "enveloped virus" and should be reasonably easy to destroy.
https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/clinicians/cleaning/ebola-virus-survivability.html

60 degrees or even hotter 80C? 100C? shouldn't be a problem for the mask material itself.

Note that this is 100% unproven and non-professional advice but..  :scared:

Stray Electron:
  Steve,

   I've been wondering the same thing. Germicidal UV lamps operate at the same wavelength as EPROM erasers I believe and I have a pile of old EPROM erasers here.  The problem with UV is that it doesn't penetrate and it doesn't go around corners so it's only effective in direct line of sight.  I looking into using UV sterlization when I had a MRSA infection several years ago and it appeared that it would need several hours of direct exposure at close range in order to deal with most bacteria.  I have no idea regarding viruses.

   OTOH I'm also wondering if used masks could be washed, dried and reused.  A solution of Clorox and water would almost certainly kill the virus but might be to harsh on the mask.  I would think that a Hydrogen Peroxide or alcohol solution would be effective but won't damage the masks. Drying them in a warmed or hot, vacuum oven would be the fastest and would probably help kill any remaining bacteria or viruses.

   Ozone would probably also be effective in killed any viruses and UV lights usually generate a ton of ozone. Ozone would also penetrate the fabric of the masks. I have a large commercial HEPA air filter that has two germicidal UV lamps in it and it does generate some ozone.  Anytime that I get old musty books or other smelly items, I set them on top of it and let the air/ozone blow around them and it always kills the odor.  An old LASER printer that emits ozone will do the same thing.

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