Frequency Selective Viral Inactivation through Bond Breaking

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for delivering IR and/or UV radiation, to an area or a surface in which virions, such as SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes the disease, COVID-19), may exist, wherein the IR radiation is intended to degrade the viral envelope of the virions and wherein the UV radiation is intended to break specific molecular bonds in order to degrade the RNA of the virion contained within a viral envelope.

1 . A method for disinfecting, comprising:
 a) determining an area for cleaning in conjunction with rendering a landscape map from an image of the area;   b) defining a plurality of targets on a surface corresponding to areas on the landscape map;   c) irradiating a target, from the plurality of targets, using infrared (IR) light produced by an IR light source;   d) determining whether a predetermined temperature has been achieved in connection with the irradiating of the target using the IR light;   e) irradiating the target, from the plurality of targets, with ultraviolet (UV) light produced by a UV light source;   f) adjusting the positions of at least one of the IR and UV light sources; and   g) continuing steps c) through f) until the plurality of targets have been irradiated with IR and UV light.   
     
     
         2 . The method for disinfecting, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising storing historical cleaning information. 
     
     
         3 . The method for disinfecting, as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising transmitting the historical cleaning information to a remote location. 
     
     
         4 . The method for disinfecting as recited in  claim 1  further comprising transmitting UV light, of a first wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a first bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a first chemical bond in a genetic molecule, the first chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen; and
 transmitting UV light, of a second wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a second bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a second chemical bond in the genetic molecule, the second chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen, wherein the first and second wavelengths are distinct from each other. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method for disinfecting as recited in  claim 4  further comprising transmitting UV light, of a third wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a third bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a third chemical bond in a genetic molecule, the third chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen, wherein the first, second, and third wavelengths are distinct from each other. 
     
     
         6 . The method for disinfecting, as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising ceasing irradiating the target with UV light in connection with detection of a living being in the area and wherein the first wavelength is equal to or less than 15 nanometers of the first bond energy wavelength and the second wavelength is equal to or less than 15 nanometers of the second bond energy wavelength. 
     
     
         7 . A method for disinfecting, comprising:
 a) defining at least one target on a surface to be disinfected;   b) irradiating the target using infrared (IR) light produced by an IR light source;   c) determining whether a predetermined temperature has been achieved in connection with the irradiating of the target using the IR light; and   d) irradiating the target with ultraviolet (UV) light produced by a UV light source.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a) defining a plurality of targets on the surface to be disinfected; 
 b) adjusting the positions of at least one of the IR and UV light sources; and 
 c) continuing irradiating the plurality of targets until the plurality of targets have been irradiated with IR and UV light. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method for disinfecting as recited in  claim 7  further comprising transmitting UV light, of a first wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a first bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a first chemical bond in a genetic molecule, the first chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen; and
 transmitting UV light, of a second wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a second bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a second chemical bond in the genetic molecule, the second chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen, wherein the first and second wavelengths are distinct from each other. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method for disinfecting as recited in  claim 9  further comprising transmitting UV light, of a third wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a third bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a third chemical bond in a genetic molecule, the third chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen, wherein the first, second, and third wavelengths are distinct from each other. 
     
     
         11 . The method for disinfecting, as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising ceasing irradiating the target with UV light in connection with detection of a living being in the area and wherein the first wavelength is equal to or less than 15 nanometers of the first bond energy wavelength and the second wavelength is equal to or less than 15 nanometers of the second bond energy wavelength. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one light source, the at least one light source being configured to produce ultraviolet (UV) light and infrared (IR) light, simultaneously;   a first band-pass filter being configured to transmit UV light, produced by the at least one light source, of a first wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a first bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a first chemical bond in a genetic molecule, the first chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen; and   a second band-pass filter being configured to transmit UV light, produced by the at least one light source, of a second wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a second bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a second chemical bond in a genetic molecule, the second chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen, wherein the first and second wavelengths are distinct from each other.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising a third band-pass filter being configured to transmit UV light, produced by the at least one light source, of a third wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a third bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a third chemical bond in a genetic molecule, the third chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen, wherein the first, second, and third wavelengths are distinct from each other. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a housing, the at least one light source being at least partially contained within the housing, the at least one light source being selected from the group consisting of an incandescent light source, a laser light source, a light emitting diode (LED) source, a liquid crystal display (LCD) diode source and combinations thereof and wherein the first wavelength is equal to or less than 15 nanometers of the first bond energy wavelength and wherein the second wavelength is equal to or less than 15 nanometers of the second bond energy wavelength.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a controller for controlling the at least one light source. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the laser light is selected from the group consisting of a continuous-mode operating laser, a pulsed-mode operating laser and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for disinfecting, comprising:
 a source of infrared (IR) radiation;   a source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the source of IR radiation and the source of UV radiation being configured to operate simultaneously;   a control unit having a processor, the processor controlling the sources of IR and UV radiation;   a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit and being operable to detect the temperature of a surface upon which the temperature sensor is directed;   a positioning apparatus being operable to independently position the source of IR radiation, the source of UV radiation, and the temperature sensor; and   a vehicle coupled to the positioning apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus for disinfecting as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising a first band-pass filter being configured to transmit light, produced by the source of UV radiation, of a first wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a first bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a first chemical bond in a genetic molecule, the first chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen; and
 a second band-pass filter being configured to transmit light, produced by the source of UV radiation, of a second wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a second bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a second chemical bond in a genetic molecule, the second chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen, wherein the first and second wavelengths are distinct from each other.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 18  further comprising a third band-pass filter being configured to transmit light, produced by the source of UV radiation, of a third wavelength only no greater than and proximate to a third bond energy wavelength corresponding to a bond energy of a third chemical bond in a genetic molecule, the third chemical bond being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen-oxygen, carbon-oxygen, carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, and phosphorus-oxygen, wherein the first, second, and third wavelengths are distinct from each other.