The whole world is currently facing the health crisis in the form of novel corona virus (2019-nCoV) outbreak and all over the world including India is in lockdown. Most of the people except Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, para-medical staff, Police, administrative cadre and other staff of emergency services, are either working from home or on forced vacation. The University professor are also been directed to work from home and utilize this time in the development of online teaching material or to engage themselves in research activities.
Utilizing their time four R.T.M. Nagpur University professors namely Prof. Sanjay J. Dhoble, Department of Physics; Prof. Bharat A. Bhanvase, Department of Chemical Engineering, L.I.T.; Dr. Nishikant A. Raut and Dr. Dadasaheb M. Kokare, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, have utilized their time for the benefit of society by designing up with two different concepts of Multifocal disinfection device and Drone based disinfection device for disinfection of Covid-19 contaminated surfaces and thereof and filed it for the patent. Due to lockdown situation, material required for fabrication of these devices could not be available and therefore they have come up with only design. If the material gets available and they are allowed to work in the laboratories, they can fabricate it.
Due to novel corona virus outbreak, every country is facing the challenges such as testing, quarantining and treating people affected by coronavirus. The virus, 2019-nCoV is a novel strain of coronavirus, not identified previously in humans. The initial outburst of COVID-19 in Wuhan spread briskly and greatly affected the whole world. The WHO has declared 2019-nCoV outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on January 30, 2020 and a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
In view of the continuously increasing COVID-19 pandemic and infectious corona virus, major challenge is to stop this ever-increasing spread of the infection. One of the methods to restrict the spread is to disinfect the contaminated surfaces and various areas. There are several methods to disinfect the surfaces but none of the methods is 100% efficient, however, combination of two or more methods of disinfection using individual methods has already been proven. Although, combining two or more disinfection techniques in a single device to achieve 100% efficiency in the shadow of COVID-19 pandemic is need of the hour. Considering this, present invention aims the designing and fabrication of multifocal disinfection device including UV, chemical and heat disinfection methods.
Embodiments include the UV light irradiation that emits high intensity with wavelength ranging from 200 to 350 nm.
High level of UV radiations is considered lethal for most of the microorganisms, bacteria, viruses etc. Further, UV sterilization is more effective on the surfaces than airborne pathogens. UV light can be continuous or pulsed and high intensity UV lights are preferred. Chemical based disinfection consists the routinely employed, cost effective and readily available chemical disinfectants like chlorine and chlorine compounds, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, quaternary ammonium compounds etc. And Hot air blow disinfection wherein as per the reports this virus can be killed at temperature more than 56 °C. Therefore, in the current system air blowing is planned with temperature 60 °C to ensure the complete killing of these viruses confirming complete disinfection.
So, in addition to UV disinfection system, if the chemical disinfection is used, it can show synergistic effect. Its application includes at hospitals, Isolation places/ quarantine rooms and Mortuary. Capacity may be of 10 liter and the Diameter of jet spraying disinfectant solution: The diameter of nozzle (jet) is ranging from 0.5 to 2 mm wherein Flow rate of spraying disinfectant may be adjusted and the velocity of the disinfectant is up to 50 m/s. The advantages of this device are numerous such as this device is operated in the restricted regions, First time introduces multifocal sanitization/disinfection using UV light with suitable wavelength, chemical disinfectants and hot air, Operated from surface to 5-10 feet height, it is safe to handle, It is useful at hospital, malls, shops, various public areas, Hospital chairs, table, instruments sanities by this device, Disinfectant of suitable formulations of various chemicals being sprayed in second way to sanities the surface claimed in 4 followed by hot air blow, Low maintenance and Easy to handle.
Disinfection using UV light is done by placing the UV device in vacant patient rooms, running it once in the bathroom and once on each side of the hospital bed. Surfaces must be in the line of sight to be decontaminated, and disinfection is therefore limited by shadowed areas and depends on the reflectivity of room walls and surfaces. The amount of UV-C light reaching organisms and the effectiveness of the light is dependent on the dose and intensity, the distance from the object being disinfected, the type of surfaces, and the type of microorganisms present. With Drone based UV disinfection device, selected area or broader area can be disinfected. The chemical disinfectants can harm to the personnel disinfecting the hospital or required area by manual disinfection methods using chemical disinfectants. With Drone based chemical disinfection device, selected area or broader area can be disinfected. The drone based disinfection device will be un-touch and un-manned being controlled from considerably long-distance using control system. It reduces the risk of exposure of the personnel disinfecting the infected area as it can be controlled from far distance.
All the professors thanked to the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor Dr. Muralidhar Chandekar, Ex-Vice-Chancellor Dr. S.P. Kane, Ex-Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Vinayak Deshpande of R.T.M. Nagpur University and Registrar Dr. Niraj Khaty along with Head of the Department of Physics, Dr. O.P. Chimankar, Director of LIT Dr. Raju Mankar, Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Mrs. Jasmine Avail, for their constant encouragement and support.
