Light-based technology kills hospital superbugs
Researchers at the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, Scotland) have developed a lighting technology that decontaminates the air and exposed surfaces by bathing them in high-intensity, narrow spectrum (HINS) visible light. The system works by using HINS light to excite molecules contained within bacteria which in turn produces highly reactive chemical species that kill bacteria such as meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, aka MRSA, and Clostridium difficile, known as C.diff.
“HINS-light is a safe treatment that can be easily automated to provide continuous disinfection of wards and other areas of the clinical environment. The pervasive nature of light permits the treatment of air and all visible surfaces, regardless of accessibility, either through direct or reflected exposure to HINS-light within the treated environment.”
HINS-light is violet-colored, but the Strathclyde researchers have used LED lighting to produce a warm white lighting system that can be used in tandem with normal hospital lighting.
The announcement of the research doesn’t go into details on the HINS light, but the research team published a paper last year entitled, “Inactivation of Bacterial Pathogens Following Exposure to Light from a 405-nm LED Array. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Volume 75(7); p1932-1937,” so 450-nm is probably a good indication of the region of HINS light.
[Via gizmag]
Andy T commented:
nah - we're just giving The Creator something to do and keeping Him from getting bored, since the bacteria don't evolve if you try killing them; Someone changes them so they can continue to exist.
Alan commented:
Aren't these bacteria created by god? Or allah? Or Zeus?
Should we be killing them?
schnase commented:
Lets hope some of the superbugs don't team up with plant DNA like chlorophyll to use this light as energy source to reproduce even more.
paul canada commented:
The issue of tolerance build up due to either mutation or partial tolerance being passed to offspring of bacteria is probably solved if the level is actually very high, i.e. they never get the chance to reproduce. That might imply the sterilise cycle with no one in the room might be a very good idea for areas such a OR's
ThomasGustin commented:
405nm, in the middle of the UVC spectrum has been used for years for this purpose; although, the light source has only recently started being generated from LED sources (there are only a few manufacturers experimenting in UVC LEDs at this time; also reads "very expensive way to do this work.")
Greg commented:
450nm is the blue spectral peak for "white" leds ( phosphor excitation ). 405 nm is the wavelength for "UV" leds.
A great idea for patient safety. But Iʻm not sure that daily, long term skin and eye exposure to near UV for staff is wise. Maybe they could use a "sterilize" cycle when no one is in the room. Shadows are something to consider as well.
alexpcs commented:
once upon the time we used to use strong blue light to disinfect drinking water, the water was feeding in a quartz tube upfront of the light source, later these simple effective systems disappeared, and we started to use chemicals.
Helio commented:
Margery,
You state 405nM and then in the next sentence state 450nM. Is this a typo?
BruceW commented:
This is a huge problem in hospitals, and anything to reduce or eliminate the problem is likely going to be well received. The medical community doesn't really want you to know how serious the issue is, but there are many deaths associated with this bacteria (which is now highly resistant to antibiotics).
I say bravo! Let's see how it performs in the real world, and without causing more harm than it resolves.
andy T commented:
Meh...give it ten minutes and the little guys will pick a mutation for the colony that's light resistant.
Battar commented:
If it can harm bugs, is it safe for our own living cells? Is there a possibility of eye damage if someone looks directly into the beam? It seems there are a lot of safety issues to be resolved
Mikey commented:
this could save lives if used in the ER, OP room, and ICU's of the local hospitals...
