Prompt Inactivation of Coronavirus Using a 280 nm Light-Emitting Diode Cluster Device.

We report on the development and characterization of a UV-C light-emitting diode (LED) 280 nm cluster prototype device designed for the rapid disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses. The device was evaluated against the Betacoronavirus mouse hepatitis virus-3 strain, and its virucidal capacity was probed as a function of different applied UV-C doses versus different situations concerning irradiation distances. UV-C LEDs are light emitters that offer advantages over low-pressure mercury lamps, such as quasimonochromaticity, lower electrical power consumption, instant on/off with the instant full-power operation, unlimited on/off cycles for disinfection schemes, and a much longer lifetime operation, in addition to portability aspects, as well as UV-C LEDs do not contain heavy metal in its composition such as mercury, found in ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) lamps.