Germicidal UV lamps: A trade-off between disinfection and air quality, study finds

When winter chill strikes, people stay indoors more often, giving airborne pathogens — such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza — prime opportunities to spread. Germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) lamps can help disinfect circulating air, but their UVC wavelengths could also transform airborne compounds into potentially harmful substances. Now, researchers have modeled the reactions initiated by UVC sanitizing light and find that there’s a trade-off between removing viruses and producing air pollutants. …read more