Microorganisms Neutralized by UV-C

A Bit About Doses

The UV-C doses listed below have been documented to inactivate the following microorganisms by 99% (2-log reduction). Millijoules per square centimeter describe a certain amount of energy over a certain amount of time. UV-C lamps produce incident energies of 253.7 nanometers, which destroys the DNA structure of pathogens in the following categories:

Bacteria

Salmonella
Staphylococcus epidermis bacteria

Bacteria

Salmonella
Staphylococcus epidermis bacteria
MRSA bacteria
Tuberculosis bacteria
Campylobacter bacteria
Vibrio cholerae bacteria
BacteriumUV-C Light Dose (mJ/cm2)
Agrobacterium lumefaciens8.50
Bacillus anthracis (anthrax veg.) 88.70
Bacillus anthracis (anthrax spores)* 846.20
Bacillus megatherium Sp. (veg) 82.50
Bacillus megatherium Sp. (spores) 85.20
Bacillus paratyphosus  4, 76.10
Bacillus subtilis 811.0
Bacillus subtilis (spores) 822.0
Campylobacter 82.10
Clostridium tetani23.10
Clostridium botulinum 1211.20
Clostridium difficile16.0
Clostridium perfringes 1395.0
Corynebacterium diphtheriae  86.50
Dysentery bacilli  3, 4, 6, 74.20
Eberthella typhosa 84.10
Enterococcus faecalis 88.60
Escherichia coli 86.60
Legionella bozemanii3.50
Legionella dumoffill5.50
Legionella gormanil4.90
Legionella micdadei3.10
Legionella longbeachae 83.0
Legionella pneumophila (Legionnaire’s Disease) 812.30
Leptospira canicola (infectious jaundice) 1, 76.0
Leptospira interrogans 86.0
Listeria monocytogenes 83.0
Micrococcus candidus  4, 712.30
Micrococcus sphaeroides 1, 4, 5, 715.40
Mycobacterium tuberculosis 810.0
Neisseria catarrhalis  1, 4, 78.50
Phytomonas tumefaciens 1, 4, 78.50
Proteus vulgaris 1, 4, 76.60
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (environ. strain) 810.50
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (lab. strain) 83.90
Pseudomonas fluorescens 4, 76.60
Rhodospirillum rubrum6.20
Salmonella enteritidis 3, 4, 77.60
Salmonella paratyphi (Enteric Fever) 66.10
Salmonella typhimurium 85.70
Salmonella typhi (Typhoid Fever) 67.0
Sarcina lutea  1, 4, 5, 726.40
Serratia marcescens 86.160
Shigella dysenteriae (Dysentery) 84.20
Shigella flexneri (Dysentery) 63.40
Shigella paradysenteriae 83.40
Shigella sonnei 87.0
Spirillum rubrum  1, 4, 5, 76.160
Staphylococcus albus 85.720
Staphylococcus aureus 86.60
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) 86.50
Staphylococcus epidermidis  65.80
Streptococcus hemolyticus 85.50
Streptococcus lactis  1, 3, 4, 58.80
Streptococcus pyogenes.80
Streptococcus salivarius4.20
Streptococcus viridans  3, 4, 73.80
Vibrio comma (Cholera) 3, 66.50
Vibrio cholerae 86.50
Yersinia Enterocolitica 84.20

Viruses

Influenza virus
Norovirus

Viruses

Influenza virus
Norovirus
SARS-CoV-2 COVID Virus
Infectious Hepatitis A virus
VirusUV-C Light Dose (mJ/cm2)
Adenovirus Type 3 34.50
Bacteriophage 1, 3, 4, 5, 76.60
Coxsackievirus 86.30
Enterovirus 70 9, 10, 1110.0
Echovirus 1 9, 10, 1117.0
Echovirus 2 9, 10, 1114.0
Echovirus 12 9, 10, 1113.0
Echovirus 30 9, 10, 1113.0
Infectious Hepatitis (Hepatitis A) 88.0
Influenza 86.60
Norovirus 815.0
Poliovirus 1 9, 10, 1117.0
Rotavirus 824.0
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) 85.0
Tobacco mosaic 2, 4, 5, 7440.0

Protozoa

Giardia protozoan
Cryptosporidium protozoan

Protozoa

Giardia protozoan
Cryptosporidium protozoan
ProtozoanUV-C Light Dose (mJ/cm2)
Chlorella vulgaris (algae) 1, 2, 3, 4, 722.0
Cryptosporidium hominis 85.80
Cryptosporidium parvum 83.0
Blue-green Algae 8420.0
E. hystolytica84.0
Giardia lamblia (cysts) 8100.0
Nematode Eggs 540.0
Paramecium 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7200.0
Toxoplasma gondii 813.0

Mold

Aspergillus mold
Botrytis mold

Mold

Aspergillus mold
Botrytis mold
MoldUV-C Light Dose (mJ/cm2)
Aspergillus amstelodami77.0
Aspergillus flavus  1, 4, 5, 799.0
Aspergillus glaucus  4, 5, 788.0
Aspergillus niger (bread mold) 8226.0
Botrytis cinerea 16110.0
Mucor mucedo77.0
Mucor racemosus  (A & B) 1, 3, 4, 5, 735.20
Oospora lactis  1, 3, 4, 5, 711.0
Penicillium chrysogenum56.0
Penicillium digitatum  4, 5, 788.0
Penicillium expansum 822.0
Penicillium roqueforti  1, 2 , 3, 4, 526.40
Podosphaera macularis 1516.90
Rhizopus nigricans (cheese mold) 3, 4, 5, 7220.0
Rhizopus stolonifer 14191.0

Yeast

Brewer's and Baker's Yeast

Yeast

Brewer's and Baker's Yeast
YeastUV-C Light Dose (mJ/cm2)
Baker’s Yeast 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 78.80
Brewer’s Yeast 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 76.60
Candida auris 832.0
Common Yeast Cake 1, 4, 5, 713.20
Saccharomyces cerevisiae 813.20
Saccharomyces ellipsoideus  4, 5, 713.20
Saccharomyces sp. 2, 3, 4, 5, 724.0
  1. “The Use of Ultraviolet Light for Microbial Control,” Ultrapure Water, April 1989.
  2. William V. Collentro, “Treatment of Water with Ultraviolet Light – Part I,” Ultrapure Water, July/August 1986.
  3. James E. Cruver, Ph.D., “Spotlight on Ultraviolet Disinfection,” Water Technology, June 1984.
  4. Dr. Robert W. Legan, “Alternative Disinfection Methods – A Comparison of UV and Ozone,” Industrial Water Engineering, March/April 1982.
  5. Rudolph Nagy, “Research Report BL-R-6-1059-3023-1,” Westinghouse Electric Corporation.
  6. Myron Lupal, “UV Offers Reliable Disinfection,” Water Conditioning & Purification, November 1993.
  7. Bak Srikanth, “The Basic Benefits of Ultraviolet Technology,” Water Conditioning & Purification, December 1995.
  8. 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.
  9. Comparative Inactivation of Enteroviruses and Adenovirus 2 by UV Light. ASM Journals, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 68, No. 10, October 1, 2002.
  10. UV Dose Required to Achieve Incremental Log Inactivation of Bacteria, Protozoa and Viruses. IUVA News, Vol. 8, No. 1, March, 2006.
  11. Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Handbook: UVGI for Air and Surface Disinfection. Wladyslaw Kowalski. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2009.
  12. Inactivation of Group I and Group II Clostridium botulinum Spores by Ultraviolet Irradiation in Water. International Journal of Food Microbiology, Volume 395. June 2023.
  13. Performance Targets for Reclaimed Water: A Case Study. Water Science & Technology Vol 88 No 4, 1131 doi: 10.2166/wst.2023.258
  14. Effects of ethanol and ultraviolet-c treatments on inactivation of Rhizopus oryzae spores which cause postharvest rot. Gülsüm Ebru. Food Science and Technology, July–Sept. 2019.
  15. Ultraviolet Light for Suppression of Powdery Mildew (Podosphaera Macularis) and Botrytis Fruit Rot (Botrytis Cinerea) Of Strawberry. Paulo Pinto De Mello Neto, University of Florida, December 2021.
  16. Cultivation Facilities: UV-C’s Role in Protecting Crops and System Efficiency. Wladyslaw Kowalski, Daniel Jones. Engineered Systems Magazine, June 6, 2018

* Approximate – Various sources may report different inactivation dosages.

Disclaimer: The information contained here is based upon data collected by 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 here. Information is subject to change without notice.