Killing Bacteria with Light

Study after study has pointed out the scary bugs lurking in hospitals and emergency departments, and Indigo-Clean has developed a technology using visible light that continuously disinfects the environment and bolsters infection prevention efforts.The 405 nanometers emitted from the light reflect off walls and surfaces, penetrating microorganisms and targeting the porphyrins that exist inside bacteria. The light is absorbed, and the excited molecules produce reactive oxygen species inside the cell, similar to the effects of bleach. This inactivates the bacteria, preventing them from repopulating the space.The standard white light disinfection mode is employed when people are in the room.The system is automated and doesn't require a person to operate it, which can be helpful when rooms are in constant use. It uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to generate visible white light that also contains a narrow spectrum of indigo-colored light, not UV light.The light has two modes of disinfection: The white disinfection mode provides ambient lighting and continuous environmental disinfection while the room is occupied, and the indigo disinfection mode provides a more powerful blue light when the room is not in use.The indigo disinfection mode, which is all blue for increased disinfection, is used when the area is unoccupied.Find out more by visiting at www.indigo-clean.com​ or by calling 262/891-9200. (Information and photos courtesy of Indigo Clean.)Tags: disinfection, IndigoClea...
Source: Technology & Inventions - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs