Aircraft manufacturer Boeing and the University of Arizona have introduced a classic method of thermal disinfection in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Researchers have confirmed that applying heat to surfaces, especially on hard-to-clean cockpit equipment, can effectively eliminate the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Results showed that the virus could be killed by more than 99.99% after three hours of exposure to 50 degrees Celsius.oC, and will continue to effectively kill more than 99.9% of viruses at 40°C.oC.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority – from the cabin to the cockpit,” said Michael Delaney, managing director of Boeing’s Confident Travel Initiative. “Heat disinfection can be another effective tool to kill Covid-19 in hard-to-reach and sensitive areas, thereby protecting pilots.”
Boeing completed testing as part of its Travel with Confidence Initiative to support customers and enhance the safety and well-being of passengers and crew during the Covid-19 pandemic. The testing was conducted in a protected laboratory environment at the university this past fall, using cockpit components and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
“We basically ‘cook’ the virus,” said Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist and infectious disease specialist at the University of Arizona. “Heat sterilization is one of the oldest methods for killing pathogens. Microbiologists in our lab use it every day.”
The cockpit is one of the most difficult areas to clean using traditional disinfectants. In areas with sensitive electronics, heat can kill germs without the harmful effects of sterilizing equipment. The cockpit is designed to withstand temperatures up to 71oC, making thermal sterilization a safe, practical and effective sanitation method.
With air travel disrupted by the global Covid-19 pandemic, Boeing and the University of Arizona continue to test recommended disinfection methods in a laboratory against SARS-CoV-2 and similar viruses to validate their effectiveness.
