International air terminal personnel enact several strategies to maintain healthy indoor air for the global travelers passing through. With millions of travelers every day, from all corners of the globe, the air within an international airport terminal can become a major hotspot for airborne pathogens and contaminants – and let’s face it, we don’t know where the next major outbreak will originate, putting the entire globe at risk. But what if many of those time-consuming and costly air disinfection strategies could be reduced, yet have indoor terminal air be cleaner than ever? It’s not a pipedream, and is why indoor air disinfection through UV light technology is a crucial component of modern germ-fighting strategies for international airport terminals.
Airborne pathogens can pose significant, invisible dangers to travelers, especially in high-volume, enclosed spaces like airport terminals. Typically, these terminals are vented using traditional methods like HVAC systems to recycle and clean the air. However, UV light indoor air disinfection is a modern, powerful solution for improving health and safety within airports.
The Unique Challenges for Indoor Air Disinfection in International Airport Terminals
International airport terminals have a unique set of challenges, mostly due to constant turnover and the high volume of people passing through. This environment creates the perfect storm for the transmission of dangerous airborne diseases. Because of this, understanding the specific risks is vital to ensure the well-being of both passengers and staff within the airport.
The high-density environment of airports is the biggest factor when it comes to airborne pathogen transmission. In the United States alone, more than 3 million people pass through airports each day, making the need for indoor air disinfection a priority for preventing potential outbreaks. While this is the main factor for the heightened need for indoor air disinfection solutions, the fact that passengers come from all locations across the globe can also be a factor for increased risks.
Various types of airborne pathogens can be found in indoor airport terminals. The specific categories of pathogens present in these bustling spaces can include:
- Passenger-borne pathogens: This includes viruses such as Influenza and COVID-19, both of which can be completely asymptomatic, as well as other highly contagious viruses like measles and tuberculosis.
- External pollutants: Emissions from jet fuel, nearby cars, and terminal equipment can easily infiltrate the building and cause respiratory problems for terminal users.
- Internal contaminants: Things such as cleaning chemicals or waste from food courts can turn into volatile organic compounds if not cared for properly.
Airport terminals not only have huge amounts of people passing through them each day, but they also require systems in place to move people from one place to another, make food, and adequately clean communal spaces. Because of these factors, the need for UV light indoor air disinfection fixtures like Farlite® Solution’s UVPhasor® is higher than ever.
Demystifying UVC Light Science for Indoor Air Disinfection
While many indoor air terminals may still be relying on traditional HVAC turnover and chemical cleaning routines, a faster, smarter, and more efficient solution is available through indoor UV light air disinfection, and specifically, UVC. To fully understand the vast scope of its capabilities, you first have to understand the science behind UVC light technology and how it can create a healthier future for international airport terminals.
UVC light is a wavelength form of ultraviolet radiation. It has a unique size that makes it a powerful germicidal element and an effective way to disinfect air within a building. There are several forms of UV light, but UVC light is the only wavelength that is short and strong enough to deactivate pathogens in the air.
UVC wavelengths attack the pathogens at a microscopic level by causing a photochemical reaction within the microorganisms’ DNA and RNA. This causes their genetic material to be damaged, so they are ineffective at reproducing or infecting any people nearby.
What makes UVC light disinfection so effective, however, is also its drawback: Current solutions cannot effectively attack pathogens to such a degree that building inhabitants can be confident they won’t get sick while guaranteeing human safety – that is, until now: The Farlite UVPhasor’s unique design is safe for humans while effectively deactivating airborne pathogens.
Farlite Solution’s UVPhasor technology is known as an “upper air” system. This means that the rays only point upward, catching pathogens and bacteria as they rise, while keeping the light away from any direct human exposure.
By understanding the science behind UV light technology and Farlite’s unique, engineered UVPhasor design and technology, it is clear that this is the modern solution to make airport experiences safer for all travelers.
Targeted Protection for Airport Travelers and Staff with Indoor UVC Light Air Disinfection
Additional unique advantages of Farlite’s UV air disinfection system lie in the ability to strategically place the UVPhasor fixtures based on airflow, space design, and high use. Airports have a multitude of high-traffic, high-risk areas that create a significant exposure to infectious pathogens. The UVPhasor automatically adjusts to account for these space characteristics to achieve the most effective pathogen inactivation.
For example, high transmission areas in airport terminals that could benefit from indoor air disinfection light fixtures include:
- Security line areas: These can be some of the busiest places within an airport, especially an international airport. Not only is it one of the most high-traffic areas, but people are also crammed into tight lines where the transmission of germs is rampant.
- Restrooms: Not only do airport restrooms commonly have long queues, they can also be a hotspot for sneezing or coughing and the airborne bacteria those actions spread.
- Gate waiting areas: This is where large numbers of people often congregate while waiting to board their plane. Because of the large number of people in what is typically a fairly tight space, overhead UV light indoor air disinfection can be hugely beneficial for inactivating harmful airborne pathogens surrounding these crowds.
- Baggage check: Much like gate waiting areas and security lines, these spaces can get clogged, leading to a surplus of airborne dangers that require constant cleaning.
UV light technology offers a unique approach to indoor air disinfection for these spaces by offering constant, consistent, and highly effective ways to create cleaner air for airport terminal passengers, staff, and visitors.
The New Standard for Indoor Air Disinfection in Airports: UV Light Technology
What makes UV light technology revolutionary for international airport terminals and the indoor air disinfection they need is the constant cleaning power it offers. Unlike other cleaning methods, such as chemical products or sprays, UVC light disinfection systems like the UVPhasor offer continuous cleaning, as well as highly efficient results, without human error or lackluster detailing.
Airport terminals are growing more populated every day across the United States and the rest of the globe as well. Finding a reliable solution for indoor air disinfection is crucial to ensure the health and trust of all flyers and airport personnel. This contributes greatly to developing more consistently positive experiences for all travelers. Not only will it increase trust and health for travelers, but it can also keep airport staff sick days at an all-time low, creating a highly efficient and productive workplace.
UV light fixtures are the future of indoor air disinfection for international airport terminals, offering a more positive, safe, and reliable travel experience for all. Contact Farlite Solutions today to request indoor air disinfection fixture pricing for your airport terminal.