Kolhapur-based professor has developed a torch that can disinfect food and other things.The ultra violet (UV) torch has been developed by Prof Rajendra Sonkawade, who teaches physics at the Shivaji University, Kolhapur.The UV sanitising device is being introduced in two compact models – 16 watt/1 kg costing Rs 4,500, and 33 watt/1.2 kg costing Rs 5,500. The UV torch has been tested and now production will be started by Mumbai’s Pla Electro Appliances Pvt. Ltd. The cost will get reduced in the times to come.
It can be used in homes, offices, stores and hospitals. The UV torch simply needs to be moved above the target – food packets, vegetables, milk pouches, currency notes for a couple of minutes. “The UV rays will kill all bacteria or viruses, including COVID-19 and make them safe for use. The UV rays used in the torch are within the normal parameters prescribed by the International Commission for Non-Ionising Radiation
The UV light has long been used to steralise objects. So it make sense to make device using UV radiation for mass steralisation. The only question in front of the scientists was wheather it can kill Corona Virus. Already UV light has been found to damage DNA. UV light can cause thymine bases to fuse together, scrambling the DNA sequence and essentially throwing a wrench into the machinery. Since the DNA sequence is no longer correct, it can no longer replicate properly. This is how UV light annihilates viruses, by destroying their ability to reproduce.
COVID-19 is a new breed, and as such there is a dearth of studies on its resistance to UV. That hasn’t stopped people from rolling out UV devices to thwart the virus. Therefore, such reasearch at times will become helpful in coming days.
