UV Solutions
HAIs Workshop Advances UV Disinfection Technologies
In January 2020, the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST), in partnership with the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA), presented a two-day workshop, “Ultraviolet Disinfection Technologies & Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs): Defining Standards and Metrology Needs.” This workshop was the second in a series designed to encourage collaboration and consensus-building among researchers, infectious disease physicians, UV disinfection companies and regulators, both in the US and internationally. The goal is to develop UV guidance that will help healthcare providers worldwide choose the best possible technologies for their institutions to use in the fight against multiple drug-resistant organisms and other pathogens that cause HAIs. The workshop built on the efforts of the IUVA Healthcare/UV Task Force, dedicated to the development of efficacy guidelines and standards to help advance the adoption and safe use of UV technologies. The IUVA looks forward to publishing the first outcomes of common guidelines for the use of this critical lifesaving technology in healthcare environments. For more information on the IUVA task force, please contact Troy Cowan, troy@iuva.org.
Success for IUVA Symposium in Bangkok
The IUVA symposium “UV Light and Ozone-Based Technologies for Water Treatment and Reuse” last November was the first IUVA event in Bangkok, Thailand. The main objective was to promote UV and ozone applications in developing countries, with focuses on basic knowledge of UV light and ozonation, and possible applications in water and wastewater treatment facilities. The program featured technical sessions by experts, poster sessions on UV research and exhibitions. The symposium also included a panel discussion of the current situation and future trends of UV application in Thailand. The symposium was successful with support from The University of Tokyo, National University of Singapore and King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi and Chulalongkorn University, both in Thailand. Event sponsors included AquiSense Technologies and Hergy Lighting Technology Corp. The event may represent a beginning to bring more UV applications to Southeast Asia.
Updates from the IUVA YP Committee
The YP Committee has organized an “Ask Me Anything” event with leading professionals in the UV industry during the 2020 IUVA Americas Conference. The sessions will be held from 11:15 a.m.-noon Wednesday, March 11. Look for one of the YP committee members at the conference or follow on social media for updates on locations.
YP Spotlights
Dr. Kai Song received his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. Working with Dr. Madjid Mohseni and Dr. Fariborz Taghipour at UBC, he focused on the application of UV LEDs for water treatment by utilizing their unique features. His work revealed the effects of wavelength combinations and pulsed irradiation by UV LEDs on water disinfection. His findings indicate the potential for application of UV LEDs. He is currently working at Nanjing Forestry University in China, where his research focuses include the application of UV LEDs for enhanced inactivation and advanced oxidation processes for water treatment.
Olivier Autin received his Ph.D. in water engineering from Cranfield University in England. His doctorate and postdoctoral research focused on the optimization of the UV/TiO2 process for chemical free/low energy water treatment. He started working with UV LEDs in 2010 during his graduate studies. One of his current drivers is to influence the way UV disinfection is being applied in the United Kingdom – the aim being to move from a standardized dose approach toward a quantitative microbial risk assessment approach, where the UV dose is selected based on the actual microbial risk present in the water source.
The YP Committee exists to increase interest and involvement in the IUVA and UV industry among young professionals (YPs), defined as students and professionals less than 35 years old or with less than five years of experience post-graduation in UV-related industry, government or academia. For more information or to get more involved, follow the committee on Twitter and Facebook (@IUVAYP) or at iuvayp@iuva.org for more updates on upcoming events and initiatives.