RT journal article
T1 Advancing Waterborne Fungal Spore Control: UV-LED Disinfection Efficiency and Post-Treatment Reactivation Analysis
A1 Duque-Sarango, Paola
A1 Delgado-Armijos, Nicole
A1 Romero Martínez, Leonardo
A1 Cruz, Darío
A1 Pinos-Vélez, Verónica
A2 Biología
K1 UV-LED disinfection
K1 Aspergillus niger
K1 Penicillium sp.
K1 collimated UV system
K1 fungal spores
K1 photoreactivation
AB The presence of fungal spores in water poses a significant risk to public health,requiring effective inactivation strategies. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a widely usedapproach, traditionally employing mercury vapor lamps. However, these lamps haveefficiency limitations and contain hazardous materials. As an alternative, ultraviolet lightemitting diodes (UV-LEDs) have emerged as a safer and more sustainable option. Despitetheir advantages, research on their efficacy against fungal spores remains limited. Thisstudy investigates the inactivation and post-exposure response of Aspergillus niger andPenicillium sp. spores using a collimated UV-LED system. The impact of two differentwavelengths (265 nm and 280 nm) and post-treatment conditions (light and darkness for24 h) on fungal viability was analyzed. Kinetic modeling was applied to assess the resistance of the spores and their capacity for photoreactivation. The results demonstrate thatboth the UV wavelength and the environmental conditions after exposure significantlyinfluence disinfection outcomes. Penicillium sp. exhibited greater susceptibility to UVradiation but also higher photoreactivation potential, while A. niger showed stronger resistance and lower recovery capacity. The UV dose required for 99% inactivation, consideringphotoreactivation effects, was 323.7 ± 90.0 mJ cm−2 and 321.9 ± 43.8 mJ cm−2for A. niger,whereas for Penicillium sp., it was 167.7 ± 13.0 mJ cm−2 and 146.5 ± 29.2 mJ cm−2 at 265 nmand 280 nm, respectively. These findings emphasize the necessity of tailoring UV-LEDdisinfection strategies based on the specific characteristics of the target organisms andpost-treatment environmental factors.
PB MDPI
SN 2073-4441
YR 2025
FD 2025-03
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/37974
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/37974
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 08-nov-2026