Decontamination News and Research

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UV-C irradiation rapidly inactivates SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces

Researchers at University Hospital Tübingen, Germany, have shown that ultraviolet C (UV-C) irradiation effectively inactivates surface-dried preparations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

23 Sep 2020

Study shows effectiveness of UV-C light for killing COVID-19 on N95 respirators

Dermatology researchers at Henry Ford Health System, in collaboration with a team at the University of Michigan, have demonstrated that certain N95 respirators tainted with COVID-19 can be effectively and safely decontaminated for reuse using ultraviolet-C light (UV-C), a method commonly utilized for treating rare skin diseases.

22 Sep 2020

N95 respirators designed for single use can be decontaminated effectively

N95 respirators, which are widely worn by health care workers treating patients with COVID-19 and are designed to be used only once, can be decontaminated effectively and used up to three times, according to research by UCLA scientists and colleagues.

27 Aug 2020

Studies identify a more rapid method to decontaminate N95 masks

Two Rutgers-led studies have identified a more rapid method to decontaminate N95 masks using vaporized hydrogen peroxide – making reuse of masks more economically feasible and practical for health care workers on the frontlines against COVID-19.

24 Aug 2020

Chaotic and incoherent: Damning study of over 500 U.S. campus COVID-19 reopening plans

Now, a new study by researchers at California Institute of Technology and Johns Hopkins University and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in August 2020 shows that poorly planned and inadequate testing approaches to mitigate viral spread among the returning university students are likely to result in epidemics that will plague the country for a long time.

13 Aug 2020

Electric multicookers could be used for sanitization of N95 respirator masks

Owners of electric multicookers may be able to add another use to its list of functions, a new study suggests: sanitization of N95 respirator masks.

6 Aug 2020

Certain decontamination methods damage N95 face masks' protective function

Certain methods of decontaminating medical face masks for repeated use during the COVID-19 pandemic appear to damage the masks' integrity and protective function, according to research by a University of Massachusetts Amherst environmental health scientist.

16 Jul 2020

Alcohol and autoclaving are not efficient for disinfecting face masks

A University of Cincinnati researcher is advising against using two widely available sterilization methods to clean disposable surgical masks and N95 respirators for reuse in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

14 Jul 2020

Foldable tent-like device shields healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients

A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore has invented a foldable tent-like device that serves as a physical shield to reduce the risk of exposure to pathogens for healthcare workers performing droplet and aerosol-generating procedures on COVID-19 patients.

30 Jun 2020

Tiny wireless sensors could enable easier, more accurate decontamination of protective masks

Tiny wireless sensors for recycled N95 masks could verify, in real time, whether the respirators are being exposed to proper decontamination conditions.

25 Jun 2020

New approach to address the shortage of personal protective equipment

Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, there is an increasing shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) crucial to protecting health care workers from infection.

25 Jun 2020

Hospitals, manufacturers team up with Sandia to increase availability of respirator masks

Sandia National Laboratories is teaming with local hospitals and medical device manufacturers to increase the availability of respirator masks for health care workers.

22 Jun 2020

Environmental conditions affect the stability of SARS-CoV-2, study finds

A new study led by Marshall University researcher M. Jeremiah Matson found that environmental conditions affect the stability of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in human nasal mucus and sputum.

21 Jun 2020

“Catch and kill” ventilation device destroys SARS-CoV-2, potential for airplanes - cruise ships

Researchers in Texas have developed an air conditioning system that can “catch and kill” severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) in an effort to help both essential works and the public combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

17 Jun 2020

Reusable elastomeric respirator masks offer a cost-effective option for health care workers

A cost-effective strategy for health care systems to offset N95 mask shortages due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is to switch to reusable elastomeric respirator masks, according to new study results.

12 Jun 2020

Ozone disinfection of respirator masks for front-line workers coping with COVID-19

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine and collaborators have successfully used ozone to disinfect the respirator masks used by healthcare workers to protect against respiratory diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

2 Jun 2020

Going the distance by bus through a pandemic

Mary Pierson boarded a nearly empty L.A. Metro bus at the corner of Atlantic Boulevard and Riggin Street in Monterey Park one recent afternoon.

27 May 2020

Researchers collaboratively evaluate mask effectiveness to prevent coronavirus pandemic

In the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, masks were in such short supply they were nearly impossible to find. As a result, people began creating substitute masks out of anything possible - scarves, repurposed old T-shirts, even vacuum bags.

21 May 2020

The ‘new normal’ in post-COVID-19 dental practice

A new paper published in the British Dental Journal in May 2020 reports on the new ways of partnership between the dental industry and dental professionals, in view of the extremely high risk of aerosol production during dental procedures, to reduce the risk of passing on COVID-19 infection.

13 May 2020

Single-cell RNA-seq addresses key question in islet cell biology and diabetes research

The pancreas is an abdominal organ that produces digestive enzymes as well as hormones that regulate blood sugar levels. This hormone-producing function is localized to the islets of Langerhans, which constitute clusters of different endocrine cell types.

12 May 2020