UV LEDs have many applications, one of the most interesting being the decontamination of surfaces and objects that can provide a means of transmission for some pathogens.
Since chemicals cannot always be used for disinfection, irradiation via UV-C LEDs offers an effective alternative method of neutralising microorganisms.
Fields of application include:
food industry (food preparation surface sterilisation)sanitisation of automatic devices such as ATMs and food vending machines
workbench sterilization
UV-C ray radiation has good penetration capacity and for this reason provides effective surface treatment; this is because it interacts with the DNA/RNA of bacteria, viruses, fungi and spores through various cell destruction mechanisms that prevent their reproduction. In certain cases, therefore, they are preferable to methods which employ chemical agents which can be harmful to humans and the environment, and require human intervention.
Advantages of UV-C LED surface sterilization: