Tayside scientists hailed for UV ray disinfectant idea

It gained traction – some might say notoriety – as a potential Covid -19 therapy when Donald Trump suggested using UV light, along with bleach transfusions, at a chaotic White House press conference in April.

But now the use of the technique as a disinfectant is being given serious consideration at the highest level in the UK, as a result of new research being carried out jointly at St Andrews University and Ninewells Hospital.

The work, which focuses on how a particular type of ultraviolet light, known as far-UVC, could be safely used for air disinfection in public places without harming people, was raised in the House of Commons on Monday.

It has been described as “potentially gamechanging” and earned a pledge from Health Secretary Matt Hancock to hold further talks on its use in the pandemic.

In a question to Mr Hancock, Conservative MP for Keighley Robbie Moore said: “Some fantastic research is being undertaken to look at this, notably by St Andrews University in Fife, Nine wells Hospital in Dundee, but also a business in my constituency of Keighley.

“As a potentially gamechanging mechanism for inactivating the virus, could the health secretary explain how this is being explored at a government level?”

Mr Hancock replied: “Yes I have seen this research and I’d be very happy to meet my honourable friend to discuss how it might be applied.”

The Courier reported on the research in May when it was accepted for publication in the journal Pho tode rma to logy , Photoimmunolog y and Photomedicine.

The St Andrews-Ninewells team used computer simulations to study the impact of farUVC lamps on human skin and have shown the wavelengths that do not cause the kind of problems typically associated with ultraviolet light.

There are three types – UVA, UVB and UVC – all of which have the potential to damage human skin.

Using their computer model, the experts have shown that the longest UVC wavelength scan damage the skin while wavelengths shorter than 230nm had much more limited penetration.

UVC light from special germicidal lamps with wavelengths in the range 200-280nm kills germs such as bacteria and viruses, and has been used as a means of disinfecting operating theatres for decades.

However, the wards must be empty of people because the germicidal lamps operate mainly at a wavelength of 254nm, which can penetrate the eyes and skin, causing inflammation and pain.

Far-UVC lamps which emit at wavelengths around 222nm may be safer because proteins in the skin efficiently absorb this light and provide a natural protective barrier.

The computer codes at the heart of this work were originally developed by St Andrews astrophysicist Dr Kenny Wood and have been adapted to help treat patients.

GAME CHANGER?: UVC has been used to disinfect air in large spaces but until now has been harmful to human skin.