How Ozone Improves the UVC Disinfection Process
A University of Arizona study showed that the average pair of shoes has more than 400,000 units of bacteria. More importantly, the transfer rate of bacteria from shoes to clean tiles in the study was 90-99%.
Reducing the number of microbes on all the shoes that pass through your facility is one way you can improve health and safety. But what’s the best way to disinfect shoes?
The UVZone shoe sanitizing station from PathO3Gen Solutions is the answer. It combines the power of UVC light and an ozone sanitizer to quickly eliminate dangerous microbes.
Read on to find out more about how ozone sanitizing improves UVC disinfection. You’ll learn why the UVZone shoe sanitizing station is the right choice for your organization.
How Does UVC Disinfection Work?
Scientists first recognized the power of ultraviolet light to kill bacteria in 1877. Researchers later determined that UV-C light was more effective than UV-A or UV-B.
UVC radiation ranges from 100 to 180 nanometers in the light spectrum. It falls between visible light and x-rays.
UVC radiation kills or inactivates microbes. Proteins, DNA, and RNA in the microbes absorb the UVC light.
When proteins absorb the radiation, cell walls will rupture and the microbe will die. When DNA or RNA absorbs the radiation, the light inactivates them. The microbe is unable to replicate, so it can no longer spread disease.
UVC radiation can disinfect the air, water, and surfaces. At a wavelength of 254 nm, it is effective against bacteria, viruses, spores, and fungi. The intensity of UVC radiation and the exposure time influences how effective the disinfection is.
How Does an Ozone Sanitizer Work?
Ozone has a long history as a way to disinfect drinking water. It’s rapidly gaining popularity as a sterilizer in other applications.
Ozone is oxygen (O2) that gained another oxygen atom (O3). To form ozone, you apply electrical energy to oxygen molecules.
Some of the oxygen molecules split apart. These single atoms attach to O2 to become ozone (O3). Ozone is unstable and will decompose back to oxygen not long after its creation.
Ozone sanitizing effectively kills bacteria, mold, and fungi. It inactivates viruses.
Ozone works through oxidation. Oxidizing the double carbon bonds in microbial cell walls destroys them.
Ozone inactivates viruses by damaging their structure and changing the receptors the virus normally uses to spread disease. Ozone can also damage virus DNA and RNA.
The effectiveness of ozone as a disinfectant depends on factors including:
- Ozone concentration
- Temperature of the area being treated
- Humidity
- Exposure time
Viruses typically need more exposure time than bacteria to reduce the microbial load by 99%.
Using Ozone to Improve UVC Disinfection
Ozone and UVC are both effective sanitizers. Combining them gives you an even more powerful disinfecting agent.
For example, ozone is less effective on porous surfaces, but UVC light is more effective on these materials. Ozone will disinfect the areas UVC light can’t reach because of shadows or obstructions.
Ozone works faster than UVC light against certain microbes.
UVC light targets the microbes’ DNA and RNA. Ozone targets the cell membrane, surface proteins, and surface receptors as well as DNA and RNA.
Benefits of Ozone and UVC Sanitizing
Ozone and UVC light have many advantages over conventional chemical disinfectants. The combination of ozone and UVC radiation works more quickly than either method alone.
Manual cleaning and disinfecting can have widely varying results. The efficacy depends on how well each member of the cleaning staff does their job. Manual cleaning and sanitizing can cause residual contamination.
Automated disinfection gives you reproducible and documented results.
Ozone and UVC sanitizing are more environmentally friendly than chemical cleaners. They don’t leave any residue behind. Ozone and UVC won’t damage shoes like harsh chemicals might.
Why Choose the UVZone Shoe Sanitizing Station?
The UVZone shoe sanitizing station gives you the combined benefits of ozone and UVC. It’s fast, safe, and easy to use.
Works Quickly and Effectively
The shoe sanitizer works quickly and effectively. It uses Corning High Purity Fused Silica glass and a range of UVC wavelengths. These features produce ozone and direct UVC radiation at the shoe sole.
The special Corning glass transmits the powerful UVC radiation with very little loss of intensity. This contributes to the effectiveness of the sanitizer.
The UVZone sanitizing station eliminates 99.9% of harmful microbes in just 8 seconds. You’ll have a cleaner facility while maintaining efficiency.
Safe for Users and the Environment
The UVZone shoe sanitizing station is a safe disinfection method. Ozone sanitizing can pose a health risk if not done correctly. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have established limits for ozone exposure.
The patented design of the UVZone sanitizing station protects the safety of users. People can confidently use the device knowing that the level of ozone effectively kills microbes without exceeding the mandated limits.
Easy to Use
The UVZone shoe sanitizing station is ready to use right out of the box. You can use it as soon as it’s plugged in.
When someone steps onto the device, an indicator light signals that the disinfection process has started. The user can step off when the indicator light turns off.
Some other shoe sanitizers have a single preprogrammed timer. You can program the UVZone shoe sanitizing station for a cleaning cycle of 6, 8, or 10 seconds. You can choose the most effective duration for the microbes you want to target.
Improve Health and Safety with a Shoe Sanitizer
The UVZone shoe sanitizing station is a convenient way to disinfect the shoes coming in and out of your facility. It’s easy to use. You get the benefits of UVC light and an ozone sanitizer.
At PathO3Gen Solutions, we’re committed to helping you get powerful disinfection results quickly. You’ll usually receive your ozone and UVC shoe sanitizer within 5 business days of placing your order.
Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation demo or to get a quote. Take the first step towards creating a cleaner and safer indoor environment.
