effectiveness of uv c light for sanitizing computer keyboards · 2020-06-24 · missy koch, kelsey...

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Effectiveness of UVC light for sanitizing computer keyboards Computer keyboards in college institutions can be contaminated with microbes due to multiple users 100% of computer keyboards initially contained microbial growth Introduction Results Summary & Conclusions Missy Koch, Kelsey Rehwaldt, Amy Olson, PhD, RD, LD College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University Department of Nutrition Less than 50% of collegeaged students frequently or always wash their hands before eating (American Journal of Infection control, (37)1:7072, 2009) Microbes on keyboards can be transferred to hands and then to food, causing illness UVC light wands claim to kill 99% of bacteria, viruses, mold and dust mites on almost any surface growth The UVC light wand was not as effective a sanitizing agent for computer keyboards as the Clorox Wipes ¾ UVC light: 74 ± 19% effective ¾ Clorox Wipes: 94 ± 9% effective Individuals should always wash their hands after using public access computers Consider Clorox Wipes or another comparable sanitizing Results Initial UVC Light Clorox Wipes UVC light is electromagnetic radiation, with wavelengths of 220280 nm ¾ Destroys nucleic acidÆ disrupts DNA & reproductive capabilities Æ kills microorganisms product to prevent cross contamination Initial UVC Light To assess the effectiveness of UVC light wands as a sanitizing tool for computer keyboards Purpose Random selection of 32 computer keyboards in public locations on a college campus were initially dryswabbed using 3M Quick Swabs For the first 16 computers: ¾ Materials & Methods Initial UVC Light ¾half of each keyboard was treated with a Clorox disinfecting wipe and reswabbed ¾ the other half of the same keyboard was treated with the Germ Guardian UVC light wand for ten seconds held two inches above the keyboard [manufacturer’s directions] and reswabbed For the second 16 computers: ¾ d h l h l h d d Initial UVC Light Germ Guardian UVC Light Wand ¾ treated with onlythe UVC light wand and reswabbed Media from the Quick Swabs were transferred to 3M Petrifilm Aerobic Count Plates Samples incubated at 37C for 48 hours Acknowledgements The CSB/SJU Undergraduate Research Program

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Page 1: Effectiveness of UV C light for sanitizing computer keyboards · 2020-06-24 · Missy Koch, Kelsey Rehwaldt, Amy Olson, PhD, RD, LD College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University

Effectiveness of UV‐C light for sanitizing computer keyboards

• Computer keyboards in college institutions can be contaminated with microbes due to multiple users 

• 100% of computer keyboards initially contained microbial growth

Introduction

Results

Summary & Conclusions

Missy Koch,  Kelsey Rehwaldt,  Amy Olson, PhD, RD, LDCollege of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University

Department of Nutrition

p• Less than 50% of college‐aged students frequently or always wash their hands before eating (American Journal of Infection control, (37)1:70‐72, 2009)• Microbes on keyboards can be transferred to hands and then to food, causing illness • UV‐C light wands claim to kill 99% of bacteria, viruses, mold and dust mites on almost any surface

growth• The UV‐C light wand was not as effective a sanitizing agent for computer keyboards as the Clorox Wipes

UV‐C light: 74 ± 19% effectiveClorox Wipes: 94 ± 9% effective

• Individuals should always wash their hands after using public access computers • Consider Clorox Wipes or another comparable sanitizing 

Results

Initial UV‐C Light Clorox Wipes

y• UV‐C light is electromagnetic radiation, with wavelengths of  220‐280 nm 

Destroys nucleic acid disrupts DNA & reproductive capabilities  kills micro‐organisms

p p gproduct to prevent cross contamination

Initial UV‐C Light

To assess the effectiveness of UV‐C light wands as a sanitizing tool for computer keyboards

Purpose

• Random selection of 32 computer keyboards in public locations on a college campus were initially dry‐swabbed using 3M Quick Swabs   • For the first 16 computers:

Materials & Methods Initial UV‐C Light

half of each keyboard was treated with a Clorox disinfecting wipe and re‐swabbedthe other half of the same keyboard was treated with the Germ Guardian UV‐C light wand for ten seconds held two inches above the keyboard [manufacturer’s directions] and re‐swabbed

• For the second 16 computers:d h l h l h d d

Initial UV‐C Light

Germ Guardian UV‐C Light Wand

treated with only the UV‐C light wand and re‐swabbed

•Media from the Quick Swabs were transferred to 3M Petrifilm Aerobic Count Plates • Samples incubated at 37⁰ C for 48 hours 

Acknowledgements

The CSB/SJU Undergraduate Research Program