CSIO transfers disinfection system technology to 28 companies to boost availability amid pandemic

By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) has transferred to 28 companies its technology of disinfection system that can be used in auditoriums, large conference rooms, classrooms, malls which will provide a relatively safer environment for indoor activities in the current pandemic.

The technology has been developed according to the requirements for deactivation of SARS COV-2 virus contained in an aerosol with necessary ventilation measures, necessary safety and user guidelines and tested bio-safety standards, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) said in a statement on Saturday.

The CSIO is a constituent of the CSIR.

It also cited that a research by two of its institutes — the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) — in September 2020 had demonstrated experimentally that SARS-CoV-2 viral particles could be detected in air even after two hours of exit of infected persons from a room and at distances much greater than a few metres as well, strengthening evidence of airborne transmission of the virus.

On Thursday, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser said nasal droplets fall within two metres from a COVID-19 infected person and the aerosols can travel in air up to 10 metres, adding that proper ventilation can decrease the risk of transmission.

UV-C disinfection system deactivates over 99 per cent of viruses, bacteria, fungus and other bio-aerosols, etc. with appropriate dosages using 254nm UV light.

Use of UV-C may also help in ameliorating the fungal infections being witnessed during the current wave of the pandemic, it added.

“The UV-C is energy efficient system, improves airflow through coils, enhances indoor air quality, requires less maintenance, easy to retrofit with any existing system having AHU (air handling unit) ducts, and has low initial setup cost,” the CSIR said.

The system comes with commercialised standards and certifications and has been transferred to 28 companies, the CSIR added.

S Anantha Ramakrishna, Director of the CSIO, added that this technology developed by the Fabrionics division led by Harry Gargis available now for deployment with wide availability throughout the country via these companies.