Wavelength Dependent UV Inactivation and DNA Damage of Adenovirus as Measured by Cell Culture Infectivity and Long Range Quantitative PCR

Adenovirus is regarded as the most resistant pathogen to ultraviolet (UV) disinfection due to its demonstrated resistance to monochromatic, low-pressure (LP) UV irradiation at 254 nm. This resistance has resulted in high UV dose requirements for all viruses in regulations set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Polychromatic, medium-pressure (MP) UV irradiation has been shown to be much more effective than 254 nm, although the mechanisms of polychromatic UV inactivation are not completely understood. This research analyzes the wavelength-specific effects of UV light on adenovirus type 2 by analyzing in parallel the reduction in viral infectivity and damage to the viral genome. A tunable laser from the National Institute of Standards and Technology was used to isolate single UV wavelengths. Cell culture infectivity and PCR were employed to quantify the adenoviral inactivation rates using narrow bands of irradiation (