What Microorganisms are Inactivated
by Germicidal Ultraviolet Light?
Incident energies at 253.7 nanometers (2537 Angstroms) necessary to inhibit colony formation in greater than 99% of microorganisms (measured in millijoules per square centimeter)
| Bacteria | UV Light Dose (mJ/cm2) |
|---|---|
| Agrobacterium lumefaciens 5 | 8.50 |
| Bacillus anthracis 1,4,5,7,9 (anthrax veg.) | 8.70 |
| Bacillus anthracis Spores (anthrax spores)* | 46.20 |
| Bacillus megatherium Sp. (veg) 4,5,9 | 2.50 |
| Bacillus megatherium Sp. (spores) 4,9 | 5.20 |
| Bacillus paratyphosus 4,9 | 6.10 |
| Bacillus subtilis 3,4,5,6,9 | 11.0 |
| Bacillus subtilis Spores 2,3,4,6,9 | 22.0 |
| Clostridium tetani | 23.10 |
| Clostridium botulinum | 11.20 |
| Clostridium difficile | 16.0 |
| Corynebacterium diphtheriae 1,4,5,7,8,9 | 6.50 |
| Dysentery bacilli 3,4,7,9 | 4.20 |
| Eberthella typhosa 1,4,9 | 4.10 |
| Escherichia coli 1,2,3,4,9 | 6.60 |
| Legionella bozemanii 5 | 3.50 |
| Legionella dumoffill 5 | 5.50 |
| Legionella gormanil 5 | 4.90 |
| Legionella micdadei 5 | 3.10 |
| Legionella longbeachae 5 | 2.90 |
| Legionella pneumophila (Legionnaire’s Disease) | 12.30 |
| Leptospira canicola-Infectious Jaundice 1,9 | 6.0 |
| Leptospira interrogans 1,5,9 | 6.0 |
| Listeria monocytogenes 10 | 3.0 |
| Micrococcus candidus 4,9 | 12.30 |
| Micrococcus sphaeroides 1,4,6,9 | 15.40 |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis 1,3,4,5,7,8,9 | 10.0 |
| Neisseria catarrhalis 1,4,5,9 | 8.50 |
| Phytomonas tumefaciens 1,4,9 | 8.50 |
| Proteus vulgaris 1,4,5,9 | 6.60 |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Environ.Strain) 1,2,3,4,5,9 | 10.50 |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Lab. Strain) 5,7 | 3.90 |
| Pseudomonas fluorescens 4,9 | 6.60 |
| Rhodospirillum rubrum 5 | 6.20 |
| Salmonella enteritidis 3,4,5,9 | 7.60 |
| Salmonella paratyphi (Enteric Fever) 5,7 | 6.10 |
| Salmonella Species 4,7,9 | 15.20 |
| Salmonella typhimurium 4,5,9 | 15.20 |
| Salmonella typhi (Typhoid Fever) 7 | 7.0 |
| Salmonella | 10.50 |
| Sarcina lutea 1,4,5,6,9 | 26.40 |
| Serratia marcescens 1,4,6,9 | 6.160 |
| Shigella dysenteriae – Dysentery 1,5,7,9 | 4.20 |
| Shigella flexneri – Dysentery 5,7 | 3.40 |
| Shigella paradysenteriae 4,9 | 3.40 |
| Shigella sonnei 5 | 7.0 |
| Spirillum rubrum 1,4,6,9 | 6.160 |
| Staphylococcus albus 1,6,9 | 5.720 |
| Staphylococcus aureus 3,4,6,9 | 6.60 |
| Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) | 6.50 |
| Staphylococcus epidermidis 5,7 | 5.80 |
| Streptococcus faecaila 5,7,8 | 10.0 |
| Streptococcus hemolyticus 1,3,4,5,6,9 | 5.50 |
| Streptococcus lactis 1,3,4,5,6 | 8.80 |
| Streptococcus pyrogenes | 4.20 |
| Streptococcus salivarius | 4.20 |
| Streptococcus viridans 3,4,5,9 | 3.80 |
| Vibrio comma (Cholera) 3,7 | 6.50 |
| Vibrio cholerae 1,5,8,9 | 6.50 |
| Molds | UV Light Dose |
|---|---|
| Aspergillus amstelodami | 77.0 |
| Aspergillus flavus 1,4,5,6,9 | 99.0 |
| Aspergillus glaucus 4,5,6,9 | 88.0 |
| Aspergillus niger (breed mold) 2,3,4,5,6,9 | 330.0 |
| Mucor mucedo | 77.0 |
| Mucor racemosus (A & B) 1,3,4,6,9 | 35.20 |
| Oospora lactis 1,3,4,6,9 | 11.0 |
| Penicillium chrysogenum | 56.0 |
| Penicillium digitatum 4,5,6,9 | 88.0 |
| Penicillium expansum 1,4,5,6,9 | 22.0 |
| Penicillium roqueforti 1,2,3,4,5,6 | 26.40 |
| Rhizopus nigricans (cheese mold) 3,4,5,6,9 | 220.0 |
| Protozoa | UV Light Dose |
|---|---|
| Chlorella vulgaris (algae) 1,2,3,4,5,9 | 22.0 |
| Blue-green Algae | 420.0 |
| E. hystolytica | 84.0 |
| Giardia lamblia (cysts) 3 | 100.0 |
| Nematode Eggs 6 | 40.0 |
| Paramecium 1,2,3,4,5,6,9 | 200.0 |
| Virus | UV Light Dose |
|---|---|
| Adenovirus Type 3 3 | 4.50 |
| Bacteriophage 1,3,4,5,6,9 | 6.60 |
| Coxsackie | 6.30 |
| Infectious Hepatitis | 8.0 |
| Influenza 1,2,3,4,5,7,9 | 6.60 |
| Rotavirus 5 | 24.0 |
| Tobacco Mosaic 2,4,5,6,9 | 440.0 |
| SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) | 5.0 |
| Yeast | UV Light Dose |
|---|---|
| Baker’s Yeast 1,3,4,5,6,7,9 | 8.80 |
| Brewer’s Yeast 1,2,3,4,5,6,9 | 6.60 |
| Common Yeast Cake 1,4,5,6,9 | 13.20 |
| Saccharomyces cerevisiae 4,6,9 | 13.20 |
| Saccharomyces ellipsoideus 4,5,6,9 | 13.20 |
| Saccharomyces sp. 2,3,4,5,6,9 | 24.0 |
- “The Use of Ultraviolet Light for Microbial Control”, Ultrapure Water, April 1989.
- William V. Collentro, “Treatment of Water with Ultraviolet Light – Part I”, Ultrapure Water, July/August 1986.
- James E. Cruver, Ph.D., “Spotlight on Ultraviolet Disinfection”, Water Technology, June 1984.
- Dr. Robert W. Legan, “Alternative Disinfection Methods-A Comparison of UV and Ozone”, Industrial Water Engineering, Mar/Apr 1982.
- Unknown
- Rudolph Nagy, Research Report BL-R-6-1059-3023-1, Westinghouse Electric Corporation.
- Myron Lupal, “UV Offers Reliable Disinfection”, Water Conditioning & Purification, November 1993.
- John Treij, “Ultraviolet Technology”, Water Conditioning & Purification, December 1995.
- Bak Srikanth, “The Basic Benefits of Ultraviolet Technology”, Water Conditioning & Purification, December 1995.
- Sensitivity of Bacteria, Protozoa, Viruses, and Other Microorganisms to Ultraviolet Radiation. Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Volume 126, Article No. 126021. August 20, 2021.
* Approximate – Various sources may report different inactivation dosages.
Dislaimer: THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PUBLICATION IS BASED UPON DATA COLLECTED BY THE ATLANTIC ULTRAVIOLET CORPORATION AND IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT. HOWEVER, NO GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, IS MADE WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
