Unveil Your Window Shades to Eliminate Bacteria
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have discovered that sunlight and UV light can help reduce the presence of harmful bacteria in indoor environments. The experiments were conducted by a team led by Prof. Yan Lu (HZB) and Prof. Arne Thomas (Technical University of Berlin) at BAMline at BESSY II.
The study involved 11 climate-controlled miniature rooms, each replicating the atmospheres of homes or office buildings. These rooms were seeded with residential dust and left outside in sunlight, with typical indoor temperatures, for 90 days. The findings suggest that sunlit rooms had a smaller proportion of human skin-derived bacteria compared to the dark rooms.
Interestingly, the study found that indoor bacteria resembled outdoor bacteria in sunlit rooms. There was a higher proportion of outdoor air-derived bacteria in the sunlit rooms. This suggests that sun exposure may shape the microbiome of an indoor room to more strongly resemble the microbiome of the outdoors.
The study's findings could have significant implications for builders and architects. By understanding how visible light affects real bacterial communities in buildings where people spend most of their days, they can potentially design solutions for buildings like schools, offices, hospitals, and homes to reduce the risk of dust-borne infections.
UV light, which has been used for decades as a natural disinfectant, especially in hospitals and medical facilities, was found to play a crucial role in this study. Rooms exposed to UV light had slightly less live bacteria, with 6.1% still viable. This is compared to 12% in the rooms with no light.
Some of the bacteria that were killed in the sunlit rooms but remained in the dark rooms are known to cause respiratory disease. This finding underscores the potential benefits of inviting more natural sunlight into a house or office, not just for its mood-enhancing effect but also for its bacteria-killing properties.
Luis Romero, founder and CEO of PurpleSun, confirmed that UV light has germicidal capabilities. The study's lead author, Ashkaan K. Fahimipour, mentioned that the study has some limits, such as not reflecting the varied size and architectural styles of offices and homes. However, the findings are undeniably promising.
During winter months, increased sunlight may help prevent illnesses like the flu. New research shows that sunlight and UV light can help kill potentially harmful bacteria in indoor environments. Inviting more natural light into a house or office may not only make the space brighter and more pleasant but could also contribute to better health.
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