AquiSense Technologies’ PearlSurface UV-C LED disinfection method has been listed as a disinfection consideration in the latest bulletin from 3M on N95 respirator reuse as a method that can treat N95 respirators whilst maintaining their crucial properties.
The PearlSurface is a UV-C LED method for surface disinfection, designed for automated non-contact, non-chemical disinfection of high-touch devices and PPE.
It has an advanced optical design using ray-tracing software. The AquiSense team used their experience in designing systems for high UV exposures up to 2,000 mJ/cm2, dual sided treatment. Recent publications show the importance of dual-sided UV disinfection as it was discovered that UV light cannot penetrate all layers of an N95 mask respirator from just one side.
The 3M Technical Bulletin for decontamination for filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) is designed to communicate the impact of decontamination methods on certain respirator models, but not recommend specific types of decontamination. Each decontamination method must pass filtration efficiency and a fit related evaluation. The 3M bulletin also confirms the PearlSurface as suitable for 20 reuse cycles, twice the number approved for other conventional UV treatment technologies.