FAQ
What does GUV stand for?
GUV or germicidal ultraviolet is a term used to support germicidal light fixtures which are electric lights that produce ultraviolet C (UV-C) light. This short-wave ultraviolet light has been shown to support the inactivation of most viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, bacteria, and other microorganisms. Commercial air purifiers that use this technology are effective at eliminating harmful viruses in the air in a safe, healthy manner.
ARE PURIFII GUV SYSTEMS SAFE FOR HUMANS?
Yes, GUV and commercial air purifier systems designed for use in unoccupied spaces incorporate multi-layered strategies to prevent accidental human exposure per the UL8802 standard. Systems designed for use in occupied spaces (Upper Room) are designed to stay under safe exposure limits as defined by the ACGIH TLV values, IEC 62471 and UL1598.
Occupied – Luminii contactless, upper air GUV systems were designed to be an always-on, nearly invisible system that disinfects the upper air in occupied environments.
Unoccupied – Luminii high-touch surface GUV systems were designed to be managed in unoccupied spaces, safely and quickly disinfecting surface level pathogens when no –one is in the room.
ARE PURIFII GUV SYSTEMS UL LISTED?
PURIFII Systems for sale today are all listed to applicable UL safety standards, including those for photobiological safety. Forthcoming PURIFII GUV Systems will be UL listed prior to product availability.
HOW DO I KNOW PURIFII GUV SYSTEMS ACTUALLY WORK AND INACTIVATE VIRUSES AND OTHER MICRO ORGANISMS?
The PURIFII AER W and SURFACE light engine have been tested against SARS-CoV-2 in the air and on surfaces in an independent BSL3 lab. Both tests showed a 99.98% inactivation of the virus. 12 In addition to our own commercial air purifier test data, numerous peer–reviewed studies show that UV-C is effective at killing or inactivating a wide array of pathogens.
WHAT IS PURIFII’S WAVELENGTH RANGE? DOES IT VARY FROM PRODUCT TO PRODUCT?
The wavelength for all Purifii PURIFII products (upper air and surface) is 275nm.
DO PURIFII GUV SYSTEMS CREATE OZONE?
No. 275nm LEDs do not create ozone.
ARE THERE ANY RESIDUAL EFFECTS ON HUMANS ONCE THE PURIFII SYSTEMS ARE SWITCHED OFF?
No. Unlike chemical disinfection, UV-C does not leave behind any residues, fumes, etc. As soon as the fixtures is are off, it is perfectly safe for humans to enter the space.
IS THE OUTPUT OF PURIFII COMMERCIAL AIR PURIFIER SYSTEMS VISIBLE?
Not at all. UV-C LEDs, unlike their mercury lamp counterparts, emit no visible light. In the PURIFII SURFACE system, Luminii incorporates visible indicator lights that flash during operation so the operational state of the fixture can be easily identified.
WHY LED TECHNOLOGY FOR UV-C?
There are several ways to produce UV, including low pressure mercury, pulsed xenon, and excimer lamps, as well as LED. The small form factor of LEDs enables design freedom that would not be possible with traditional lamp sources. This allows for low– profile solutions that seamlessly integrate with the architecture of a space. LEDs also address environmental concerns about the mercury contained in low pressure mercury lamps, which are used in most solutions today.
CAN PURIFII GUV SYSTEMS GET AROUND OBJECTS, DISINFECT UNDER CHAIRS, ETC.?
UV-C disinfection is a line-of-sight technology. Shadowed areas will not be treated. PURIFII GUV and commercial air purifier systems should always be positioned to minimize shadowed areas.
WHAT ARE THE KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AIR AND SURFACE GUV PRODUCTS?
UPPER AIR GERMICIDAL PRODUCTS are designed for continuous disinfection of the air, supporting markets including hospitality, schools, restaurants, and fitness centers. The physical design of these commercial air purifier systems makes them inherently safe to operate in occupied spaces featuring an always-on, contact-free design.
SURFACE GERMICIDAL PRODUCTS are designed to disinfect high-traffic surfaces in unoccupied spaces and rely on redundant, UL Listed control systems to ensure that spaces are unoccupied before system activation. These commercial air purifier systems are well suited for high-touch surfaces where rooms can be disinfected during unoccupied, scheduled, downtime.
WHY NOT JUST GET A HEPA FILTER?
Adding a HEPA filter to your HVAC system is effective at removing pathogens from air recirculated through the commercial air purifier system.
Portable HEPA air purifiers can be effective in small spaces but can provide insufficient air change rates in larger spaces. Air purifiers can also be noisy and require the replacement of filters at regular intervals.
AER W is silent, has no filters to replace, and can be utilized to create an even & and consistent germicidal zone that can be scaled for small or large spaces.
HOW DO I SAFELY MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LUMINII’S PURIFII GUV PRODUCTS IN THE FIELD? WHAT CAN I EXPECT OVER TIME?
System output can be measured in the field using a UV-C light meter and appropriate personal protective equipment to ensure that the person making the measurement is not exposed to UV-C.
WILL THE MATERIALS AND FINISHES IN A GIVEN SPACE DEGRADE UNDER UV-C?
Luminii can perform accelerated life testing on any specific materials of concern to provide rough guidelines for the life of the material when receiving a specific UV-C dose.
WHICH COMMON PATHOGENS HAS UV-C BEEN SHOW TO INACTIVATE?
*UV-C has been proven to kill or inactivate a wide range of pathogens, including:
- E. Coli, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), Staphylococcus aureus (staph), Salmonella typhimurium
- Adenovirus (can cause fever, coughs, sore throats, diarrhea, and pink eye), Hepatitis, HIV-1
- Measles, Mumps, Cold Viruses, Influenza, Varicella Zoster Virus (causes chickenpox)
*References: Kowalski, 2009; Malayeri et al., 2016
WHAT IS THE LIFESPAN/WARRANTY OF PURIFII COMMERCIAL AIR PURIFIER PRODUCTS?
Purifii AER W commercial air purifier products come with a warranty period of 5 years or 20,000 hours, whichever comes first. If you have additional questions, do not hesitate to reach out by sending an email to purifii-uvc@luminii.com.