Are air cleaners with UV treatment effective against airborne bacteria?

The UV air purifiers present themselves as real shields to curb the spread of respiratory diseases. In fact, they destroy 99% of bacteria and other microorganisms in the air.

How does an air purifier with a UV lamp work?

The purpose of an air purifier is to remove bacteriological and chemical pollution present in the air of an enclosed space. Indeed, indoor air can concentrate up to 10 times more pollutant than outdoor air.

The cause is the use of products that release chemicals, poor ventilation, and buildings that are too damp or overheated.

Ultraviolet air purifiers are used to decontaminate the air in all types of public or private spaces (housing, public places, industrial or agri-food environments, vehicle...).

This is a complementary solution to the following preventive actions:

• >Limiting sources of pollution, particularly those related to furniture, paints and other cleaning products. These products must have a label indicating their hazardousness. Therefore, give preference to products labelled A.
• The installation, control of its proper functioning and maintenance of an effective ventilation system. Failing this, regular and sufficient ventilation.

How does the action of a UVC lamp, activated carbon filter, and photocatalysis work?

UVc destroys the micro-organisms in the air that pass through the device, the activated carbon retains the remaining chemical molecules which are eliminated by photocatalysis.
The devices are designed on the basis of a tangential flow ring reactor to increase the time of passage of the air through it and to optimise the exposure of the pollutants to the treatment.

These devices do not produce by-products such as ozone or oxidising radicals which are rapidly consumed by the photocatalysis reactions.

Here is the principle of a Uvc air purifier + filtration + photocatalysis:

Schematic diagram of the ANEMO air treatment process

Which technology and which manufacturer to choose for indoor air purification

Since 1982, the UVRER company, based in St Genis Laval near Lyon, has expertise in UV treatment for drinking water and air.




UVRER uses several air treatment technologies to clean indoor air. They are used alone or in addition to each other:

If you have any questions, we are here to answer them via our contact form.
 

What product combines UVC treatment, activated carbon filtration and photocatalysis?

The Anemo range, which is available in several air purification devices has been developed by combining the 3 treatment processes:

In what areas are ANEMO air cleaners used?

As the common pollutants to be treated are often the same, namely volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and airborne micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses or fungi present in the air), products from the Anemo range are commonly used in the following cases:

• Medical environment (medical and dental offices, waiting or consultation rooms)
• Agricultural environments (improves preservation of food stored in food cold rooms)
• Buildings open to the public (nurseries, public toilets, restaurants, town halls, etc.)
• Public vehicles (ambulances, buses, refrigerated trucks)
• Service buildings (offices, workshops...)
• Single-family homes (bedrooms, living rooms, toilets, offices)
• Industrial settings with enclosed spaces (stocks, partitioned rooms, etc.)

Which air purifier to choose for a company or individuals?

Whatever the type of room, it is advisable to filter the air in the room to be treated at least once an hour. Calculate the volume of the room in which your unit will be installed (surface area x height).

A 40 m² room with a height of 2.5 m will thus have a volume of 100 m3. It is therefore advisable to choose a device that can handle up to 100 m3.

For spaces smaller than 14 m3 (5.6m² room x 2.5m high), , such as toilets, vehicles, the Bora Vichy is most suitable. It is equipped with a 12/24V option to be connected to the vehicle battery.

For spaces requiring quietness (offices, housing)it is advisable to focus on the Siluxe range (50 to 100 m3) and multiply the number of units according to the volume to be treated.

The other spaces can be equipped with HEGOA units. They can handle up to 800 m3 (room, warehouse, industrial refrigerators, etc.. )

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Has the action of the UVc treatment been proven? 

In fact, the potabilization plants with filters and UV lamps, or the water treatment plants equipped with a UV bulb, are already widely used to debacterise spring water, rainwater or groundwater.

Debacterising does not mean that the water will be drinkable, because if it is polluted with lead, nitrates, nitrites, mercury, etc...then the UVc will have no impact on these particles.

This UV radiation water treatment is already mandatory in places receiving the public (gites, refuges, camping, etc. ) that use spring or groundwater that does not meet the regulatory requirements of the water agencies.

A pharmacy test is mandatory and if it shows a higher than standard level of germs or bacteria, then a device will be mandatory.
 

UV treatment plants to make water drinkable are already sold all over the world

The seriousness of these products is no longer in question, and UV potabilization has been used worldwide for years.
 

Example of use in medical environment (Hospital in the United Arab Emirates)

• Test conducted in 2016
• UVRER Hegoa device

Test summary:

Our UV stations are manufactured in Lyon, by a French company, which cuts and welds and stainless steel bodies as well as the Philipps brand UV lamp holders.

We are talking about water treatment stations and air purifiers 100% MADE IN FRANCE, with high quality 316 L stainless steel bodies, which are cut, welded and assembled in France.

Many competitors buy prefabricated STAINLESS STEEL cops, with a lower quality STAINLESS STEEL.

The dedicated UV treatment for swimming pools or pondshas also proven itself with the SUNEO rangewhich is used extensively by swimming pool specialists.

Contact the air purifier specialist

Finally: let's remember the precautionary principles against COVID-19

We are all more or less exposed to the coronavirus/COVID-19. In addition to the standard and general precautions of:

• Wash your hands regularly
• Pushing or sneezing into your elbow
• Do not shake hands/avoid kissing
• Use single-use tissues
• Wear a mask
• Clean your hands very regularly with hydro-alcoholic gel

Other precautions to consider include the indoor air quality of your home, office or restaurant.

Indeed, living or working in a properly ventilated and sanitized space will make you less susceptible to illnesses related to viruses or bacteria in the air.

The first symptoms of coronavirus present as a respiratory infection and lung abnormalities (coughing, difficulty breathing), which focus on the airways.

If it seems acted that the coronavirus is not present in the ambient air that you breathe, it will be better not to cumulate other respiratory problems in case of infection. So pay attention to the indoor air you breathe and we advise you to regularly ventilate the living or working room you frequent!

The unintended consequences of confinement in our homes

Today the safety instructions given by the authorities are to avoid public places and gatherings as much as possible. In other words, we are forced to isolate ourselves as much as possible, by staying at home, so as not to be exposed to the Coronavirus.

The problem with isolation is the quality of the indoor air we breathe. It can get polluted and bacteria-infested pretty quickly, if you don't open the windows or if your single or double flow ventilation is failing.

You can see for yourself that your bedroom, living room or office is usually very poorly ventilated during the winter period when the outside temperature is very cold.

Without good single or dual flow ventilation and indoor air purifiers, this air can become a threat despite the fact that we are confined and insulated.

We strongly recommend that businesses and individuals equip themselves with products that can disinfect the air by killing bacteria in order to combat flu or other contagious airborne diseases all year round.

No device on the market can combat the corona virus, as it is transmitted through saliva when kissing or spitting when talking to each other for example.

But air purifiers with UV treatment, such as those manufactured in France by the company UVRER, and offered for sale by Lacentrale-eco.com, already make it possible to fight against various diseases such as SARS or respiratory diseases like asthma.
 

Air purifiers for public places: a sustainable solution

Since the start of the COVID-19 virus outbreak, public places are becoming breeding grounds for the virus.
 
If some places of passage have already equipped themselves with air purifiers, this practice should be more widespread: companies, open-space, libraries, hairdressers, shops, large-scale distribution, cinema.

These products, made in France, will allow you to secure the places of passage against the coronavirus by cleaning the air in a general way (moulds, cov and bacteria).

Contact the air purifier specialist