CASE STUDY
Roger Williams University Students Model Significant Risk Reduction of Airborne SARS-CoV-2 Transmission with Visium Far-UVC
Implementing Lit Thinking’s Visium Far-UVC fixtures in a real-world university classroom, Public Health students at Roger Williams University modeled a significant reduction in airborne virus transmission risk.
INTRODUCTION
Public Health students at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, conducted a year-long study evaluating the impact of Far-UVC technology on reducing airborne pathogen transmission.
Under the direction of Dr. Jacob Bueno de Mesquita, Associate Professor of Public Health, the team assessed Visium Far-UVC fi xtures in a 572 sq. ft. classroom. Using the Wells-Riley model, their analysis found a substantial reduction in modeled infection risk when Far-UVC was applied.
THE STUDY
The scenario modeled an 8-hour exposure period in a classroom containing an infectious “super-shedder”—someone emitting a high concentration of viral particles. Four ceiling-mounted Visium fixtures ran continuously throughout the day. To evaluate occupant exposure to Far-UVC (222 nm), students used colorimetric dosimeters and radiometers.
THE RESULTS
Study results showed:
- 90% whole-room inactivation ofSARS-CoV-2 B in under 4 minutes
Infection risk over 8 hours:
-
- With Far-UVC: 4%
- Without Far-UVC: 45%
Visium fixtures operate silently at just 14 watts each. The four-device setup boosted the classroom’s air cleaning capacity from 3 ACH (air changes per hour) to 39 eACH (equivalent air changes per hour)
- with no added noise
- virtually no visible light
- and minimal energy consumption.
Viral Control Effectiveness
Expected rate of air cleaning => 39 eACH (avg fluence of 0.876μW/cm2
Operating the four fixtures continuously costs approximately $0.30/day.
CONCLUSION
Funded by a grant from Rhode Island INBRE for Biomedical Research Excellence, the study concluded that:
“Far-UVC mitigates viral transmission at a level unparalleled by [traditional] airflow and filtration methods and should be deployed widely.”
COMMENTARY