The ultra-violet light technology used to kill the invasive species found in ships’ ballast water tanks can be used to protect seafarers, health workers, and first-responders from picking up the coronavirus from surfaces, French BIO-UV Group claims.
The company said that it was readying a surface disinfection system based on the company’s UV-C reactor technology used for its ballast water management products.
The 50cm handheld device emits a ray of UV-C which is passed over the surface, taking only seconds to disinfect the scanned area.
The scanner can be used to kill the coronavirus from sickbay/hospital beds, tables, computer keyboards, furniture, and all other surfaces, the company said.
The system is set to enter the market once it is verified by independent parties.
The French firm joins numerous other research and technology companies that are investing efforts to repurpose their products and technological solutions to fight the pandemic.
In parallel, BIO-UV Group subsidiary TRIOGEN is working on the development of a disinfection system for wet surfaces using ozone.
“We mobilised our R&D team to develop a system of disinfection for surfaces intended, as a priority, for all nursing staff. However, the technology has potential application in other sectors,” BIO-UV Group’s founder and CEO Benoít Gillmann said.
BIO-UV Group is verifying the capabilities, performance and reliability of the prototype in two CE-approved laboratories.
“ Since 6 April, progress has been made in the completion of a prototype, the performance of which is currently being tested in compliance with the strictest of international standards,” said Gillmann.
“The aim of this testing is to validate the system’s capacity to disinfect and to eliminate all types of microorganisms using UV-C technology. Once this testing has been finalised, a second laboratory will work over the next few weeks on testing the efficacy of the system in eliminating Covid-19.”
The company said that if the UV-C scanner’s efficiency is successfully demonstrated, it will be introduced to medical personnel and healthcare workers from the end of May.
“At a later stage, the system will be marketed to other industrial sectors, including the maritime sector to help safeguard our seafarers from being infected. Marketing will go ahead once CE marking has been obtained,” Gillmann said.