Future Disinfection of Touch Screens by Far-UVC-LEDs?—A Feasibility Study

Touch Screens are commonly contaminated with staphylococci and other pathogens and can therefore lead to the spread of infections both in the medical environment and in everyday life. Therefore, the feasibility study presented here aims to investigate whether touch screens could be disinfected automatically and quickly in the future by applying Far-UVC radiation, which is known for its strong antimicrobial impact despite its low hazard to humans. The study was carried out on staphylococci on a small quartz pane as a simplified touch screen model. In one setup, the 236 nm Far-UVC-LEDs radiation was coupled laterally into the quartz plate. For comparison, the staphylococci were also irradiated from the top by these Far-UVC-LEDs in another setup. In both approaches, the bacteria were reduced by about 90% within approximately 5 seconds. Hence, the approach with side-mounted Far-UVC-LEDs in particular appears to be a realistic possibility for the future automated disinfection of touch screens if the performance and lifetime of Far-UVC-LEDs continue to improve.