University of Alberta develops sanitization tech to kill COVID-19 virus
A new sanitization product aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19 will soon be used in Edmonton and Calgary.
The TESER ACT unit was developed through a partnership between scientists at the University Alberta and Calgary based on advanced sanitization technologies company TESER.
It uses ultraviolet-C light (UVC) from hundreds of LED bulbs to kill viruses including the flu, common cold viruses, and E.Coli bacteria, a U of A release explained.
"We determined how much UVC light was required to fully inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus and prevent it from replicating," said Ryan Noyce, research associate at the University of Alberta and one of the scientists who helped develop the device.
Researchers found the technology was able to kill the virus within just one minute.
The university says while UVC light has been known to kill pathogens for around a century, TESER needed scientific proof that it would be effective against COVID-19 in order to meet Health Canada regulations.
"It’s well established technology, UV is well known as a good tool for killing all kinds of biological organisms," said David Ens, professor of medical microbiology at the University of Alberta.
The company created two models which are able to sanitize everything from cellphones to luggage and non-invasive medical instruments.
"Really simply, it’s a decontamination box," said Phil Alle, president and CEO of TESER. "It’s nothing too complicated. We wanted to make it extremely simple for use."
With the possibility of additional COVID-19 variants developing in the future, researchers say the unit is also capable of killing mutations of the virus.
"It’s kind of like fire," said Ens. "Fire will destroy just about anything it doesn't matter (if it’s) a big house,(a) little house, (a) stone house."
The company hopes to use the device in the medical field, including in laboratory practices in the future.
"Helping with testing, being able to bring out instruments or things that have been exposed to viruses (and) being able to clean them faster and move between labs," said Alle.
He says TESER is also working on an air sanitization unit which could integrate UVC technology to kill multiple viruses.
The government of Canada has given the company a grant for the first 10 units, which are planned to be used at the Edmonton International Airport and government offices in Edmonton and Calgary this spring.
The project was funded with help of the federal and Alberta governments through research and innovation agencies including Alberta Innovates and InnoTech Alberta.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jessica Robb.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Defence rests without Donald Trump taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial
Donald Trump's lawyers rested their defence Tuesday without the former president taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial.
Passenger killed, 30 injured as Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence
One passenger was killed and 30 injured after a Singapore Airlines SIAL.SI flight from London hit severe turbulence en route on Tuesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said.
Feels like mid-30s in parts of Canada, while other areas expecting snow
Anything is possible this week, as far as Canada's weather is concerned, with forecasts ranging from scorching heat in some parts of the country to rain and snow in others.
Canada's inflation cools to 3-year low of 2.7%, in boost for rate cut bets
Canada's annual inflation rate slowed to a three-year low of 2.7 per cent in April, matching expectations, and core measures continued to ease, data showed on Tuesday, likely boosting chances of a June interest rate cut.
'Documents are fraudulent': Graceland is not for sale, Elvis Presley's granddaughter says in lawsuit
Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, is fighting plans to publicly auction his Graceland estate in Memphis after a company tried to sell the property based on claims that a loan using the king of rock ’n’ roll's former home as collateral was not repaid.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Nestle to sell $5 pizza, sandwiches in the U.S. for Wegovy, Ozempic users
Nestle NESN.S will market a new, US$5 line of frozen pizzas and protein-enriched pastas in the United States which it says it designed specifically for people taking drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Independent stores and grocery alternatives see sales boost amid Loblaw boycott
As the month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores wears on, small independent food retailers and alternative grocery options say they're seeing a boost in traffic and sales.