CDO invention bares potential to disinfect PPE
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A locally-produced C-type ultraviolet light (UV-C) disinfection device has shown potentials that it can kill bacteria on personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly N95-type face masks.
This was based on the results of the series of tests by the Department of Science and Technology in Region 10 (DOST-10) on the UV disinfection cabinet created by Elpidio Paras, who is also the chief executive officer of Parasat Cable TV here.
Paras named the device as “Parazapp.”
The UV cabinet was Paras’ way to help medical front-liners who are attending to Covid-19 patients so that they can still use their PPE several times, instead of discarding them after a single use.
DOST’s Regional Standards and Testing Laboratories (RSTL), which released the initial finding Monday, conducted the tests which entailed samples of N95 face masks contaminated with Escherichia Coli (E. coli) bacteria being subjected to different exposure times from 30 seconds to five minutes inside Parazapp.
“The test achieved 83 percent to 97 percent reduction of E. coli populations when used for five minutes. Through statistical methods, the team also estimated the proper exposure time needed to achieve higher reduction levels. At least 24 minutes of exposure inside the Parazapp may be needed to achieve a 99.99 percent reduction of E. coli populations in the masks, and at least 38 minutes may be needed to achieve 99.9999 percent reduction,” the DOST-10 report said.
The agency described Parazapp as a portable and low-cost disinfecting equipment that is composed of locally-available materials such as stainless steel cabinet, timer system, and UV-C germicidal lamps.
Paras collaborated with DOST10 through RSTL for the initial evaluation of the germicidal properties and initial determination of the optimal exposure time for the Parazapp.
DOST-10 noted that with the current rise of Covid-19 positive patients in various parts of the country, the Parazapp can be potentially used to disinfect viruses in PPE and other medical equipment and devices.
However, the agency said the device still requires more research and development with appropriate methods, testing equipment, and facilities.
Meanwhile, Romela Ratilla, DOST-10 assistant director, said the agency always welcomes innovations from local inventors to help ease the effects of the pandemic.