Ever wondered what role fixture positioning plays in the efficacy of UV disinfection? The “canyon wall effect” describes a phenomenon in which UV light is blocked by “canyon walls” or the textured grooves to a surface, preventing it from reaching the deeper parts of the surface that often contain the most HAIs. 

A recent experiment found that overhead disinfection, in which the fixture light is parallel to the “canyon walls” is 1,250 times more effective than a UV-C source stationed perpendicular to the target surface. Healthcare surfaces, such as floors, chairs, countertops and over-bed tables tend to be grooved, creating microscopic grooved walls. Bacteria can survive on surfaces for a long time and are more likely to land on horizontal surfaces, or the canyon beds, than the textured surfaces or vertical canyons walls. Thus, the orientation of the fixture plays a key role in hospital disinfection. 

This is where our solution comes in. PURO Lighting’s Helo fixtures use pulsed Xenon light, powered by Violet Defense®, to disinfect surfaces from its inlay ceiling position, flashing down towards the surfaces. PURO Lighting products address the challenge of thoroughly disinfecting grooved surfaces by reaching more of the harmful bacteria living within the “canyon walls.” 

To read more about the “canyon wall effect,” check out this article: 
https://uvsolutionsmag.com/articles/2019/uv-c-effectiveness-and-the-canyon-wall-effect-of-textured-healthcare-environment-surfaces/