IO, Jakarta – The number of positive sufferers of Covid-19 in Indonesia continues to rise. One of the efforts to keep the new type of coronavirus from infecting others is by implementing a clean and healthy lifestyle and keeping our distance. The Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia (FTUI) collaborated with the FTUI Alumni Association (ILUNI FTUI) to develop a Rapid Disinfection Chamber (BDC) -04 as UI’s contribution to reducing Covid-19 transmission.
BDC-04 is claimed to be able to clean viruses and bacteria that stick to clothing and body surfaces in under 10 seconds per person. Its function is to cleanse the body of bacteria and viruses with a dry process, because the technology is different from that already in use.
As a start, BDC-04 will be installed at the University of Indonesia Hospital (RSUI). The BDC-04 installation is also accompanied by the installation of a portable hand washer or MHW. After RSUI, BDC-04 will be distributed to various strategic places, public service places such as hospitals, health centers, markets, terminals, and others.
Dean of FTUI, Dr. Ir. Hendri D.S. Budiono, M.Eng, said that BDC-04 works by deactivating microorganisms, bacteria, and viruses using ultraviolet light, known as Far-UVC, which has a wavelength of 207-222 nm. The radiation will quickly kill a virus and be safe for the human body.
“5-10 seconds of irradiation produces 89-99 percent effectiveness in deactivating microorganisms that attach to clothing or the human body,” Hendri said in a press release published by FTUI, Thursday (3/26/2020).
UV light has in fact been commonly used in the process of sterilization of medical devices in hospitals for more than 30 years. Given the diverse surfaces of clothing and the human body, the irradiation process is expected to be more effective in reaching every surface and shape.
“In addition to using UVC rays, BDC-04 is coated with aluminum foil, as this material has the shortest life cycle effect for the coronavirus,” he said.
The smooth process of preparation, construction of tools, and handling of BDC-04 production cannot be separated from the support of FTUI alumni who provided input and ideas to the team. For the success of the realization of BDC- 04 and its distribution, ILUNI FTUI raised donations by inviting contributions from alumni and companies to expand the benefits of FTUI works.
The innovation team from FTUI and ILUNI FTUI were perpetually open themselves to receive design and technology input for application in BDC-04. This latest innovation is expected to help support the government’s efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and provide real solutions to the needs of the community in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. (*/est)