UV-LED Disinfection: A New Opportunity for BlueLight Analytics

作为牙科行业的技术制造商，蓝光分析公司(BlueLight Analytics)对改进牙科光固化单元(LCU)的感染控制协议很感兴趣，并认识到紫外线发光二极管(UV-LED)技术在其行业中具有颠覆性的潜力。针对LC U的感染控制策略将补充BlueLight目前的产品和服务，这些产品和服务的核心是量化固化灯的临床性能。目前的感染控制策略可能会损坏LCU并影响光输出。如果光输出受到影响，牙科树脂可能会固化不足。紫外线(UV)消毒可以克服当前感染控制策略的挑战。UV-LED技术可以提供与传统UV相同(或更好)的消毒，同时使用更少的能源和不需要汞，这使它们成为环境可持续的感染控制替代方案。为了这项为期6个月的研究项目的目的，该团队由一名本科生、一名硕士学生、一名博士生和一名博士后研究员组成，将为LC U开发基于UV-LED的消毒方案。研究任务将包括：(A)确定临床表面的UV-LED消毒的适当条件；(B)将UV-LED消毒与当前行业标准的感染控制策略进行比较；以及(C)评估UV-LED消毒对LCU光输出的影响。拥有能够帮助医疗保健提供者维持正确操作并确保其设备无菌的工具至关重要。在更广泛的背景下，UV-LED作为基于清洁技术的消毒剂被广泛使用，UV-LED消毒技术被视为广泛行业的颠覆性技术。UV-LED技术的使用将为蓝光打开一个新的市场，以增加销售机会。因此，从这个项目中获得的知识可以帮助Gagnon博士的实验室和BlueLight应对清洁技术领域的其他挑战。

As a manufacturer of technology for the dental industry, BlueLight Analytics (BlueLight) is interested inimproving infection control protocols for dental light curing units (LCUs) and recognizes the potential forultraviolet light emitting diode (UV-LED) technology to be disruptive in its industry. An infection controlstrategy for LCUs would complement BlueLight's current products and services, which are centered onquantifying the clinical performance of curing lights. Current infection control strategies can damage LCUs andcompromise light output. If light output is compromised, dental resins may be undercured.Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection could overcome challenges with current infection control strategies. UV-LEDtechnologies can provide the same (or superior) disinfection as traditional UV while using less energy andrequiring no mercury, which makes them an environmentally sustainable alternative for infection control.For the purposes of this 6-month research project, the team, consisting of one undergraduate student, oneMaster's student, one PhD student and one post-doctoral fellow, will develop a UV-LED-based disinfectionprotocol for LCUs. Research tasks will include: (a) Determining appropriate conditions for UV-LEDdisinfection of clinical surfaces; (b) Comparing UV-LED disinfection to current industry-standard infectioncontrol strategies and (c) Assessing impact of UV-LED disinfection on LCU light output.Having tools that can assist healthcare providers maintain the proper operation and ensure sterility of theirequipment is critical. In a broader context, UV-LED is widely used as a Cleantech-based disinfectant andUV-LED disinfection technologies are viewed as disruptive technologies across a broad range of industries.Use of UV-LED technology will open a new market for BlueLight to increase sales opportunities. Thus, theknowledge gained from this project can help both Dr. Gagnon's lab and BlueLight take on other challenges inthe Cleantech space.