Evaluation of the effect of UV irradiation on the disinfection of the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora in a laboratory setting
High-risk microbial pathogens are handled in a biosafety laboratory. After experiments, the pathogens may remain as contaminants. To safely manage a biosafety laboratory, disinfection of microbial contaminants is necessary. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of UV-C irradiation for the disinfection of a high-risk plant pathogenic bacterium Erwinia amylovora in a laboratory setting. For the test, the bacterium (8.7 × 106 CFU/ml) was embedded on the surface of PDA and placed on the work surface in a biosafety cabinet (Class 2 Type A1), and on the three different surfaces of the laboratory bench, laboratory bench shelf, and the floor which were positioned in a straight line from the UV lamp installed in the ceiling of the biosafety laboratory (BSL 2 class). UV-C irradiation was administered for 10min, 30min, 1 hr, 2hr, 3 hr, and 4hr, respectively. The reduction rate of bacteria ranged from 95% to 99% in regard to 10 min irradiation, from 97% to 99% in regard to 30 min irradiation, from 99.8% to 99.9% in regard to 1 hr irradiation, and higher than 99.99% in regard to 2 hr irradiation. The bacterium was completely inactivated after 3 hr irradiation. A similar UV-C irradiation effect was obtained when the bacterium was placed at a distance of 1 m from the three different surface points. Bacterial reduction by UV-C irradiation was not significantly different among the three different surface points.