# Startup company produces white light fixture that disinfects



## PhotonWrangler (Aug 23, 2015)

A startup company in Troy, NY founded by a couple of Rensellear Polytechnic grads has come up with a white light LED fixture that includes a blue-violet wavelength that kills gram-negative bacteria. The fixture isn't that efficient (around 25 lumens/watt) compared to other LED fixtures, but if it performs as claimed, it could be a boon for the health care and food processing industries.

They're currently manufacturing the fixtures themselves out of a Makerspace lab in Troy. 

I like these guys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v7zLhVqHPU

http://vitalvio.com/


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## snakebite (Oct 4, 2015)

hmmm 1938 compact fluorescent?


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## KITROBASKIN (Oct 4, 2015)

Could be something but then we'll start having to deal with blue-violet wavelength resistant gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria maybe? 

Looks like another human weapon for the war against biological nasties.


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## PhotonWrangler (Oct 4, 2015)

Interesting question. Hospitals have traditionally been using shortwave UVC fixtures for disinfection; I don't think this causes resistant bacteria to grow, probably because UVC is nasty enough to break down the molecular bonds in the germs. I don't know whether UVA exposure works the same way on the bacteria that they're aiming at.


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