Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters (한국미생물·생명공학회지)

The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (한국미생물·생명공학회)
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Bactericidal Effect of Ultraviolet and Dry Treatment on Bacterial Contaminants in Facial Masks

Ultraviolet 및 건조 처리에 의한 마스크에 오염된 미생물 살균 효과

  • Park, Seul-Ki (Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan) ;
  • Lee, Da-eun (Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University) ;
  • Jo, Du-Min (Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University) ;
  • Song, Mi-Ru (Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University) ;
  • Kim, Young-Mog (Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University)
  • 박슬기 (서스캐쳐원 대학 화학 및 생물공학과) ;
  • 이다은 (부경대학교 식품공학과) ;
  • 조두민 (부경대학교 식품공학과) ;
  • 송미루 (부경대학교 식품공학과) ;
  • 김영목 (부경대학교 식품공학과)
  • Received : 2021.09.28
  • Accepted : 2022.01.11
  • Published : 2022.03.28
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Abstract

Due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19, the demand for face masks is soaring and has often caused a shortage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet (UV) and drying treatments on microbial contaminants in facial masks. To conduct this study, standard procedures were designed to develop samples contaminated by the control bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The contamination level of the standard samples was approximately 6.30 × 106 CFU/ml, and the UV light treatment was performed 1, 3, 5, and 7 times. To evaluate the effect of the UV and drying treatments, the masks were first treated with UV 1, 2, and 3 times, followed by the drying process. As a result, the mask contaminated with E. coli and P. aeruginosa showed a bacterial rate of approximately 99.9% after 1 UV irradiation, and in the case of the S. aureus-contaminated mask, it exhibited a bactericidal rate of approximately 99.9% after 7 UV irradiations. However, when the drying process was included after UV irradiation, all the samples contaminated with E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa showed a bactericidal rate of 99.9% or more. The results of this study suggest that UV and drying treatments can effectively reduce the bacterial contaminants in facial masks. In addition, these results provide fundamental data and appropriate sterilization methods for reusing masks.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (2021R1A6A1A03039211).

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