WHY AIR-CONDITIONED CLASSROOMS SHOULD USE UVGI TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE IAQ?

WHY AIR-CONDITIONED CLASSROOMS SHOULD
USE UVGI TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE IAQ?

The increasing use of air conditioning (AC) globally is directly causing conditions that are more conducive to the increased person-to-person transmission of airborne infections like tuberculosis (TB), influenza (flu), and measles. The impact of AC on airborne infection and indoor air quality is almost rapid, in contrast to the delayed environmental impacts of increased CO2 emissions. This is due to the fact that in order to use an air conditioner effectively, windows and doors must be shut, immediately eliminating the natural ventilation that a large portion of the world relies on to saturate and purify indoor air. Additionally, the most popular and effective AC types are split or ductless ones, which silently cool and dehumidify room air without supplying outdoor air exchange. In order to remove contaminants from the air in a room, air purification with UVC lamps becomes crucial.

Upsurge in TB cases

Children in Mumbai are reportedly suffering from acute drug-sensitive TB. Data
released by the BMC in 2022 revealed that paediatric TB cases have been going up
every consecutive year; from accounting for 7% of the total cases in 2019 to 9% in
2021. In a city where up to 60,000 new TB patients are registered every year, health
activists say paediatric TB care is extremely inadequate.

TB is a highly infectious disease with a high global mortality rate that is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. The most common way that TB spreads is through droplets breathed or coughed into the air. Even if they don’t exhibit symptoms of TB, children might still be infected with the germs. Controlling TB infection and maintaining the indoor air quality is a top public health goal.

Stages of TB

Exposure. When a child comes into contact with someone who is a carrier of the TB
pathogen, this may happen. The child will show no symptoms, a normal chest X-ray,
and a negative skin test.

Latent Tuberculosis. When a child carries TB germs in his or her body but shows no
symptoms, this happens. The immune system of the affected child renders the TB
bacteria dormant. The majority of those who contract the disease will always have
latent TB. The skin test for this child would be positive, but the chest X-ray would be
normal. He or she is not able to infect others.

TB illness. When a child shows indications of an ongoing infection, this occurs:both a
positive chest X-ray and a positive skin test would be present for this child. If left
untreated, he or she may transmit the illness.

Control of Indoor Air Quality and TuberculosisTransmission

For a healthy human life, living in a healthy environment is a must. Indoor air
frequently contains bacteria and viruses that could be dangerous to one’s health,
especially for those with weakened immune systems. When a child with tuberculosis
coughs or sneezes, the germs are released into the air as an aerosol, which spreads
the disease. In recent years, schools and medical clinics have reported outbreaks of
tuberculosis, along with homeless shelters, jails, call centres, and banks, places with
large numbers of people and poor ventilation.

Indoor air quality can be regulated in three ways to lower the risk of TB and other
disease transmissions: dilution, filtration, and air purification by UVC lamps. These
treatments not only successfully treat Tuberculosis but also successfully treat other
microbial diseases including influenza.

1. By introducing more outside air into a place, dilution lowers the concentration of
infectious organisms there. Dilution spreads the germs over a broader volume of air,
which reduces the likelihood of spreading without actually killing the bacteria.

2. By passing the air through a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter that traps
bacteria and viruses (as well as other particles), filtration lowers the concentration
of infectious agents in an area. The extra fan power needed to get air through the
filter with HEPA filtering can result in higher running costs.

3. As ultraviolet (UV) radiation damages the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of bacteria
and viruses, including those of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, purifying the air with
UVC lamps removes the infectious pathogens in the air. The infectious pathogen can
no longer replicate due to this DNA damage. However, UVGI air purification calls for
protecting people in the treated area from excessive UV radiation exposure.
Theefore certain safeguards are a must: the UV source can be positioned in a
standalone disinfection system, which can be used in the absence of human
intervention; UVC lamps can be placed in the ventilation system’s ductwork; or in an
open area inside a room, way above eye level. It is crucial to make sure that the UV
radiation is contained to the area of the room that is above standing head height
when placing UVGI in an open area to avoid exposing people to direct UV light. UVGI
technology has long been utilized in hospitals and labs for air purification, but it can
also be employed in public areas where people gather.
These three strategies can be applied singly or collectively.

Significance of implementing UVGI technology in air-conditioned classrooms

A number of authorities have promoted the use of UVC lamps for air purification to
improve the indoor air quality, particularly the use of upper-room UVGI and UVC
lamps with HVAC systems.

In his presentation for “Keeping Public Spaces Safe: Germicidal Ultraviolet Light for
Air Sanitation During COVID-19,” presented by the Harvard Kennedy School and
Harvard Global Health Institute, Edward Nardell emphasizes the use of upper-room
UVGI to prevent the epidemic spread of measles among children in suburban
Philadelphia day schools and maintain the indoor air quality.

A 1957–1958 study at a VA hospital in Livermore, California, was another
interesting study that Dr. Nardell described. The observational study revealed that
even the seasonal flu rate was significantly lower in rooms where UVC lamps had
been put in to assist in stopping the spread of TB, than it was in rooms without UV.
According to Lopez-Malo & Palou’s 2005 paper, the DNA linkages in bacteria are
broken by ultraviolet (UV) radiation because of the shifting of electrons.
Additionally, light from UVC lamps can lower the number of airborne germs present
indoors; it has been noted that putting a UV light source in the air conditioning
system’s duct can lower the number of microbes by 99.9%.

Alfaa UV’s role in Controlling TB

With more than 20 years of experience in UV technology, Alfaa UV has become a
reputed name in the industry. It offers the latest UV sterilizer machines as well as
UVGI solutions for surfaces, upper air, and HVAC applications to reduce the risk of
infections and to enhance the level of indoor air quality.
You can consider the following Alfaa UV products for your HVAC system:

A. ULTRA COIL

Ultra coil UV is helpful for deep cleaning of HVAC coils. It has a unique Parabolic
Reflector System that proactively removes the biofilms to prevent air contamination
and drain pans.

B. ULTRADUCT:
Ultraduct UV is useful for single-pass disinfection of airborne bacteria and viruses.
Installed in supply or return ducts, it also enhances the lifespan of HEPA filters in
HVAC systems.

STEREO-UP Upper Air UV System: It provides extensive coverage of upper sections
in any room and has exceptionally potent UVGI.

STERO-360: Mobile UV Room Sterilizer

STERO-360 UV sterilizer lamp device is highly efficient due to its mobility and
compact size. Moreover, with its strong Power cords and internals, it has the
capacity to run all day continuously. It can run on its own and can be scheduled &
set up with a timer at times where there is no human intervention.

The prudent use of air conditioning is required in schools, weighing the overt
dangers and discomfort of extreme heat against the covert dangers of inadequate
ventilation. However, if used correctly, air disinfection equipment can reduce the
spread of airborne illnesses like TB and boost the indoor air quality. To install UVGI
Technology in your HVAC systems, get in touch with Alfaa UV at +91-86579 23938.