US transportation company Metro is receiving $ 600,000 from the Federal Transit Agency to test and evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced air filtration and purification technologies, using UV-C technology, on its subway cars. The goal is to make trains safer during the pandemic and to restore people’s confidence in public transport.
The FDA says UVC radiation can destroy the outer coating of most coronaviruses, including the current SARS-Cov-2 virus.
A team of engineers is designing the UV-C system which will be tested on several dozen railcars. The entire pilot project will last 14 months.
The system they are developing will act inside the air ducts, inserting UVC lamps and air filters, which can trap smaller particles such as viruses, with the aim of creating a prevention plan that would help fight also other pathogens after the pandemic.
“We believe this low-cost technology will reduce the circulation of Covid-19, mitigating the risk of transmission aboard rail cars,” Metro spokesman Ian Jannetta said in an email.
Also in Italy specific measures are being implemented to make public transport safe and Fuocofreddo is involved in these projects with UVC LEDs in the railway and tram sector and others tailored to each request.
