The Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Berhampur has designed a sanitizing chamber operating on UVC light from used or discarded microwaves. The UV sterilisers are widely used in countries like South Korea, China and the US. To make the chamber safer and to prevent any radiation from exiting the chamber, an 'unserviceable' microwaves and ovens are used, ITI-Berhampur said.
Any infected item can be disinfected by putting the substance inside the microwave for 15 minutes. A timer circuit is provided in each chamber which automatically cuts off supply to the UV light when the action is complete. "It works primarily by destroying the DNA inside bacteria, virus and fungi," said Dr Rajat Kumar Panighray, Principal of the ITI-Berhampur. He also emphasised that the UV lamp is a reliable and well-studied anti-micrological technology. The high energy portion of UV-C is highly effective. This principle is used to sanitize drinking water as well.
"By this, all the electronic gadgets, face masks, PPE can be disinfected," ITI has claimed. "Applying this technology thousands of unused microwave ovens can easily be transformed to UV sanitizer."
The institute will now approach the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for the validation of the cheap new UV sanitisation chamber to kill the novel coronavirus.
The sanitization chamber costs just Rs 1200, ITI-Berhampur's Principal Dr Rajat Kumar Panighray said.
“Transformation of thrown away microwave oven to UV sanitisation chamber costs only ₹1,200,” explained Panigrahy. “Any equipment has to be placed in it for 15 minutes for disinfection and we have also added a timer for the purpose,” Dr Panighray added.
ITI-Berhampur has been making concerted efforts by coming up with indigenous made protective health equipments at low cost.
Also Read: ITI Berhampur develops low-cost aerosol box and face shields to fight COVID-19
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