Ultraviolet (UV) light, specifically UV-C wavelengths, can kill germs, fungi, and mould in the air and on surfaces.Footnote 148 Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) systems using UV-C can be installed near ceilings or inside air ducts, or may be included in some portable air purifiers.Footnote 149 Direct UV-C exposure can harm skin and eyes, so proper installation is essential. An emerging technology called far-UV appears to be eye- and skin-safe, though longer-term studies are still limited, as are products approved for use in Canada.Footnote 150
Learn more:
- Filtration (UVGI section) | OSPE
- About germicidal ultraviolet | CDC
- Engineered infection prevention video and slideshow | Coalition for Community and Healthcare Acquired Infection Reduction (CHAIR)
Footnotes (3)
James Bolton, “Fluence (UV Dose) Required to Achieve Incremental Log Inactivation of Bacteria, Protozoa, Viruses and Algae,” IUVA News 18, no. 3 (2016): 4–6, https://iuvaeducationresourcecenter.org; Mahsa Masjoudi et al., “Sensitivity of Bacteria, Protozoa, Viruses, and Other Microorganisms to Ultraviolet Radiation,” Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 126 (2021): 126021,
https://doi.org/10.6028/jres.126.021.
Back to text- Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, Special Topics in Indoor Air Quality Report: Filtration (Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, 2025), 10–11, https://ospe.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Filtration-REPORT-V2.pdf. Back to text
- Ernest R. Blatchley et al., “Far UV-C Radiation: An Emerging Tool for Pandemic Control,” Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 53, no. 6 (2023): 733–753, https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2022.2084315; Obaid Kousha et al., “222 nm Far‐UVC from Filtered Krypton‐Chloride Excimer Lamps Does Not Cause Eye Irritation When Deployed in a Simulated Office Environment,” Photochemistry and Photobiology 100, no. 1 (2024): 137–45, https://doi.org/10.1111/php.13805; David Welch et al., “No Evidence of Induced Skin Cancer or Other Skin Abnormalities after Long‐Term (66 week) Chronic Exposure to 222‐nm Far‐UVC Radiation,” Photochemistry and Photobiology 99, no. 1 (2022): 168–75, https://doi.org/10.1111/php.13656. Back to text