ULTRAVIOLET RAY STERILIZATION METHOD

• Main Authors: MITSUI NARUTOSHI, YOMOTO MIZUYO, MIZOTA YOKO, OGATA HIROMOTO, YABE CHIKAKO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.07.2014
• Subjects: CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultraviolet ray sterilization method allowing for: sterilization of bacteria and molds with extremely low ultraviolet intensity from reduced number of installed ultraviolet lamps at a reduced initial cost for installing a sterilization unit; and reduction in radiation time even with an extremely weak ultraviolet intensity, resulting in reduction in power consumption and extension of lamp life, at a reduced operation cost.SOLUTION: The ultraviolet sterilization method allows an interior surface to be exposed to ultraviolet radiation with an ultraviolet lamp. The ultraviolet intensity is set to 0.008 to 0.170 mW/cmfor a sterilization target of bacteria such as colon bacillus and salmonella. The ultraviolet intensity is set to 0.030 to 0.170 mW/cmfor a sterilization target of sporulating bacteria such as spore bacillus cereus and spore bacillus subtilis. The ultraviolet intensity is set to 0.030 to 0.170 mW/cmand the ultraviolet irradiation time is set to 30 minutes to 280 seconds for a sterilization target of molds such as koji mold and penicillium.