Bolb launches superbug-inactivating DUV emitters for lowering healthcare costs and enhancing food safety

Germicidal LED (G-LED) supplier Bolb Inc of Livermore, CA, USA has announced further advances in its deep-ultraviolet emitter arrays to combat the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens by launching new products offering configurable features for generating from 2W to over 10W of targeted optical power in a convenient fixture.

Bolb says that, in a recent test by a third-party laboratory, its Blazar G-LED fixture has demonstrated 5log10 kill of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a dangerous pathogen that is resistant to penicillin and amoxicillin (among other common antibiotics). Such a high kill rate was achieved with its deep-ultraviolet G-LED array in under 1 minute from a distance of 1m to the targeted surface, covering about 1m2 in area. Using compact solid-state G-LED technology, this is claimed to be unmatched performance against a particularly egregious pathogen. Multiple arrays can be assembled and positioned to cover larger areas for quick disinfection.

The development is timely, reckons Bolb, given that global public health officials continue to sound the alarm concerning the unabated rise in antimicrobial-resistant pathogens (superbugs). According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 3 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the USA each year, and more than 47,800 people die as a result. The United Nations projects 10 million annual deaths worldwide due to superbug infection by 2050 if the current trend continues. Urgent actions are needed to counter the lack of effective new antibiotics and the spiraling costs associated with protecting patients and healthcare workers, including effectively dealing with contaminated surfaces and biohazard waste in acute care, surgical and clinical facilities, as well as compounding pharmacies and mobile medicine.

G-LED emitters now enable universal and cost-effective pathogen reduction solutions where footprint, upfront and operational cost, and ease of implementation matter, says Bolb. The firm claims that every 10W of implemented optical power can result in saving a typical hospital $1m in annual expenses. Given that the market for such solutions can reach over 100M optical watts generated per year by 2025, $10bn in global Healthcare Delivery cost savings is achievable (significant, considering that $30bn was spent just in the USA in 2019 on environmental cleaning and waste remediation and removal, and overcoming medical complications and legal liabilities due to patients suffering Healthcare Associated Infections).

Bolb says that GLED technical advancement enables ubiquitous distributed disinfection solutions for a highly contaminated and highly mobile world. The realization of such capabilities has accelerated deep ultraviolet adoption by OEM manufacturers in additional high-growth segments such as point-of-consumption drinking water treatment, enhanced-functionality white goods and appliances, and life-science analysis. Similar solutions are soon to be implemented in concentrated farm and horticulture operations, where chemical-free preventive disinfection measures are crucial for animal health, plant protection, supply chain sanitation, and consumer food safety.

Tags: DUV light-emitting diodes

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