UV-LED Disinfection: A New Opportunity for BlueLight Analytics

作为牙科行业的技术制造商，BlueLight Analytics（BlueLight）对改善牙科光固化设备（LCU）的感染控制方案感兴趣，并认识到紫外线发光二极管（UV-LED）技术在其行业中的潜在破坏性。LCU的感染控制策略将补充蓝光目前的产品和服务，这些产品和服务的核心是量化治疗灯的临床性能。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良。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紫外线相同（或上级）的消毒，同时使用更少的能源，不需要汞，这使得它们成为环境可持续的感染控制替代品。为了这个为期6个月的研究项目，该团队由一名本科生，一名硕士生，一名博士生和一名博士后研究员组成，将开发一种基于UV-LED的LCU消毒协议。研究任务将包括：（a）确定临床表面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;（c）评估UV-LED消毒对LCU光输出的影响。在更广泛的背景下，UV-LED被广泛用作基于清洁技术的消毒剂，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BlueLight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承担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.