In Germany, 400,000 to 600,000 patients become sick with nosocomial infections every year, and up to 15,000 of them die. With the increased use of antibiotics in clinics, in outpatient treatment, and most significantly in animal husbandry, pathogenic bacteria are developing multiple resistances to existing groups of antibiotics.

Advanced UV for Life aims at avoiding infection by powerful disinfection strategies. The technical progress in UV LEDs, whose radiation has a bactericidal effect, makes these radiation sources more and more usable for the purpose of water, air and surface disinfection.

The initial potential lies in applications in which small fluid flows or surfaces are to be irradiated discontinuously; i.e. mobile point-of-use appliances. At the same time, however, know-how for the future disinfection of greater volumes and larger surfaces is being developed within the projects in this thematic field. Furthermore, new fields of application get opened up. With the assistance of the developments regarding Germ Sensorics the disinfecting effect may be detected fast and cost-effectively.

Research and development projects:
 

»Basic research and development of a suitable for use in water UVC LED disinfection module

»Development of UVC LED based water disinfection technologies

»UVC LED radiation for decontamination of technical surfaces during food processing

»Application of UVA LEDs for triggered release of antiseptic from nanocarriers in hair follicles for long-lasting skin disinfection

»Stationary fluorescence-based germ detection on surfaces

»Air disinfection and purification in refrigerated trucks