Adam asked a really good question here: I answered a similar question from a reporter earlier today. Here's a brief tweet thread on UV devices: (1/6)
How does UV light work to kill bacteria and viruses? UV light works because it damages the the DNA or RNA of microbes. If you damage to enough of the nucleic acid the bacteria die or the virus cannot infect. (2/6)
Which kinds of surfaces does UV light work best on? It works best on smooth surfaces. If a surface is rough (even at the microscopic level), bacteria and viruses can hide in the valleys in the shade so that they are not hit by the UV rays. (3/6)
We’ve noticed these devices getting a lot of buzz online, do you think they are effective I’m a bit skeptical of any of these UV devices. (4/6)
If someone wanted to sell me a UV device to sanitize something, I would want to see some real scientific research where they deliberately contaminated with certain microorganisms and then quantify the effectiveness. (5/6)
They would need to compare their UV technology other appropriate disinfection techniques depending upon the device or surface: plain water, soap and water, and or rubbing alcohol, disinfectant wipes, etc.
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