Creating a post-pandemic sustainable environment in the context of technical and reputational business transformation

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to propose a new design for a sustainable built environment using a specific business system as an example that transforms and implements modular systems and UV lighting to prevent the spread of infectious agents after COVID-19, which directly affects the ability of some types of businesses to function. The paper explores the possibility of purchasing, introducing and using UV radiation for disinfection of premises and the destruction of potentially dangerous viruses and bacteria. The proposed model allows self-isolating persons to adapt to the changing reality and remain productive consumers of goods and services within the business system under study. The modular system, combined with germicidal UV lamps, due to their ability to inactivate viruses, effectively creates a safe hygienic environment, which affects the attractiveness of the territory for visitors and increases the number of ‘contacts’ of the consumer with the company and brand.

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International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies 2022, 17, 581–590
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press.
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https://doi.org/10.1093/ijlct/ctac029 Advance Access publication 26 April 2022 581
Creating a post-pandemic sustainable
environment in the context of technical and
reputational business transformation
..............................................................................................................................................................
Iman Ibrahim1,*,Daria Tkachenko2,Dmitry Gura3and Tatyan a Saku lyev a 4
1Department of Applied Design, College of Fine Arts and Design, University of Sharjah,
Sharjah, 27272, UAE; 2Department of International Management, Kyiv National Economic
University, 54/1 Peremohy Ave, 03680;3Department of Cadastre and Geoengineering,
Kuban State Technological University, Moskovskaya Str., 2, Krasnodar 350072, Russian
Federation and;4Department of Transportation Management, State University of
Management, Rjazanskij prospekt, 99, Moscow 109542, Russian Federation
.............................................................................................................................................
Abstract
Thepurposeofthisarticleistoproposeanewdesignforasustainablebuiltenvironmentusingaspecic
business system as an example that transforms and implements modular systems and ultraviolet (UV)
lighting to prevent the spread of infectious agents aer COVID-19, which directly aects the ability of
some types of businesses to function. The paper explores the possibility of purchasing, introducing and
using UV radiation for disinfection of premises and the destruction of potentially dangerous viruses and
bacteria. The proposed model allows self-isolating persons to adapt to the changing reality and remain
productive consumers of goods and services within the business system under study. The modular system,
combined with germicidal UV lamps, due to their ability to inactivate viruses, eectively creates a safe
hygienic environment, which aects the attractiveness of the territory for visitors and increases the number
of ‘contacts’ of the consumer with the company and brand.
Keywords:safe environment; pandemic; modular pod; modular furniture system; isolation
* Corresponding author:
iibrahim@sharjah.ac.ae Received 1 December 2021; revised 11 February 2022; accepted 28 February 2022
.................................................................................................................................................................................
1INTRODUCTION
Over the past decade, mankind has faced several viral and infec-
tious diseases that could evolve and aect the everyday life and
work of people globally. So far, an acute coronavirus disease
caused by SARS-CoV-2has been among the deadliest 21st century
diseases, resulting in a sharp leap in daily morbidity and death
rate.
The fatal outbreak aected the performance of entire cities and
dealt a serious blow to each country’s economy. Since the begin-
ning of the pandemic, government authorities have prescribed
quarantine measures and self-isolation, which ultimately led to
the shutdown of most enterprises and factories [1].
Theadventofpandemicrestrictionsforcedpeopletoadaptto
new conditions and deal with inconveniences and challenges at
home. One of the gravest problems induced by isolation has been a
decline in jobs and unemployment, which aected many families
in various countries. These issues took a toll on one’s men-
tal health, provoking emotional distress, depression and mental
degradation [2].
One way to prevent mental imbalance is to communicate
with other members of society, but unfortunately, the quarantine
restrictions deprived people of such an opportunity. In particular,
visits to public places were prohibited. It was only allowed if
a person needed to purchase food and essentials. Even in this
case, wearing a facemask was mandatory [3]. Moreover, the
closure of health and rehabilitation centers made a healthy lifestyle
inaccessible to the majority of the population [4].
Quarantine restrictions were later tightened in response to a
sharpincreaseinmorbiditytopreventnewcases.Theneedtoself-
isolate for the entire pandemic created a negative scenario where
all people became ‘imprisoned’ inside their homes. These circum-
stances were non-conducive to mutual understanding between an
individual member of society and their physical and emotional
well-being. In general, some quarantine restrictions became a
form of human rights violation [5].
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Ibrahimetal.
Figure 1. Pollution in China before and aer coronavirus.
Government authorities fought a spreading virus by regulating
crowd density and reducing social contacts. Therefore, the post-
pandemic changes aected not only people’s homes but also
towns and cities. Those transformations determine the future of
residential and non-residential construction [6].
The rst wave of the coronavirus outbreak revealed the chal-
lenges facing humanity. As no one saw it coming, the planet had
to cope promptly with the issues and generate compelling and
preferably appropriate solutions. Sending a city into partial lock-
down could be eective, but sending it into a complete lockdown
will have irreparable consequences. Therefore, countries settled
on selectively restricting people’s movement. Consequently, indi-
viduals whose jobs were crucial for maintaining the functioning
of the society in lockdown could move without restrictions, while
othershadtoself-isolate[3,7].
The positive aspect of the pandemic was the partial or complete
shutdown of oil and gas production and enterprises releasing
hazardous substances. The air pollution levels became lower as a
result. China is a vivid example of this change (Figure 1). Aer the
onset of the pandemic, chemical enterprises in China were forced
to suspend operations. Before lockdown, they were releasing a
critical amount of harmful substances. In February, air pollution
dropped, reaching the lowest level ever seen [7].
Other quarantine measures involved physical distancing, mass
transition to learning and working from home, changes in pub-
lic transportation operations (e.g. re-routing, physical distanc-
ing among passengers, etc.), nancial assistance and support for
businesses and vulnerable populations, eective communication
management and intense digital transformation [8].
Dierent methods were used to ght the outbreak, ranging
from urban management to living space re-arrangement. Because
individuals were forced to stay in residence 24/7, it became imper-
ative to upgrade and adjust interior designs. The easing of the
pandemic does not mean that the crisis is over, but the time
between lockdowns allows for the creation, improvement and
implementation of various innovations [9].
Allchallengesshouldbeconsideredcomprehensively,which
means that the social side of the pandemic-induced issues also
requires consideration. In times of lockdown, people need a safe
place to meet their communication needs and keep their busi-
nesses running [10].
Considering the magnitude of possible COVID-induced chal-
lenges and their eects, research in this eld is of great impor-
tance. In particular, the world faced the need to ensure social dis-
tancing outside, isolate workstations and make them comfortable,
reshape living spaces to boost productivity and develop necessary
digital solutions [10,11].
This paper aims to design a sustainable, health-focused living
environment where individuals can separate themselves using
modular systems if necessary. The objectives of the paper are as
follows:
(1) To review what causes the spread of the COVID-19 illness
(2) To investigate the eect of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on
viruses and the human body in isolation conditions
(3) To test the novel interior design idea, which integrates
modular systems and UV disinfection devices.
The proposed model is expected to facilitate one’s adaptation
to self-isolation conditions and keep one mentally healthy and
productive.
2LITERATURE REVIEW
TheCOVID-19pandemicbecameachallengeforpeopleinthe
21stcentury.Itwasmercilessinitsimpactonhumanhealth
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Creating a post-pandemic sustainable environment
and performance. The virus that causes COVID-19 is hard to
study. Consequently, it is dicult to develop treatment and create
vaccines [1,5]. Another problem is that even the most eective
means to ght a disease remain powerless when it comes to emo-
tionalwell-being.Witheachnewvirus,theboundariesofwhat
we know narrow down, provoking new waves of panic among the
population.
Theonlyeectivewaytostoporslowdownthespreadof
infectious diseases is to limit the interaction of people or isolate
them. A more delicate solution suggests identifying and isolating,
without violating human rights, the source of the disease, not the
entire population [3,6,9].
Many scientists, engineers and medical specialists around the
worldworkhardtomakeithappen.Thepandemic,however,
hit when no one was prepared for it, and countries had to deal
with negative consequences while looking at the problem from
multiple angles. While healthcare professionals sought eective
vaccines and hygiene guidelines, engineers devoted their eorts
to identifying early-stage illnesses and isolating those aected
by them. Meantime, designers put forth various solutions for
making the life of self-isolated people more comfortable and
convenient [5,7]. Among them are progressive interior designs
and urban design ideas for public places, parks, streets and public
transport [10].
Sustainablesolutionsforthebuiltenvironmentseektoreshape
urban living. A focus was on contactless technologies, self-
cleaning materials, digital support systems, etc. [9,11]. Of
course, the primary goal of those solutions was to create a
safe environment that reduces the pandemic spread and the
psychological burden of lockdown.
The design of public interiors should comply with the require-
ments of safety, visual appeal and accessibility during the pan-
demic.Itmeansthatpublicspacesandbuildingsmustundergo
time-based cleaning and disinfection. Furthermore, there must
be systems supporting ventilation and air conditioning within
indoor spaces [6,11].
The interior design of homes, on the other hand, should make
self-isolation easier and more enjoyable, not just safe. Being stuck
inside the four walls may harm one’s physical and emotional
well-being. To help people ‘imprisoned’ inside their homes main-
tain mental balance, interior designers have re-invented space
planning ideas and functions of home décor.
Due to self-isolation, homes acquired new functions. As the
overall oorage did not change, one room could undergo repur-
posing multiple times throughout the day. Re-arrangement, how-
ever, is an arduous and inconvenient task. Therefore, it is no
surprise that many people in lockdown shied to exible and
multifunctional furniture, which can be easily moved around the
house, transformed, re-arranged and folded up for storage, if
necessary [12].
The pandemic has unveiled many areas that need digitization.
Thesilverliningisthattheoutbreakshowedtheneedforsmart
city development. Such initiatives have the power to improve
safety, urban mobility, and the quality of living. First of all, the
placement of surveillance systems will make it possible to collect
and analyze real-time video and notify citizens about potential
health risks before they encounter any. The use of smart technolo-
gies will allow people in isolation to communicate with ease [12].
Smart homes can regulate microclimate, notify when something
happens inside the house, keep product deliveries socially distant
and more [13]. The literature review revealed the potential of dig-
ital technologies to ease self-isolation chaos and navigate through
the later waves of the pandemic.
3MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thelivingspaceandhomeocedesignsshouldbesustainable
and compliant with the sanitary-hygienic standards and quaran-
tine requirements to be considered safe for human health [14].
Using modular furniture systems could be a solution. As physical
barriers,thesesystemscanhelpindividualswhosharelivingspace
to self-isolate. The best part is that one can eortlessly move
modular furniture around the living area to create a comfortable
environment. Oces, on the other hand, can eectively use pod
systems to ensure safe and comfortable working. The pods keep
the workers within a conned space while preventing the spread
of the virus outside [15].
The challenge is that achieving complete isolation at home is
not possible due to the need to regularly disinfect the rooms.
When designing a built environment, one should follow these
steps:
(1) Calculate the living and storage areas to place the necessary
modular systems
(2) Choose a modular furniture system from the available
options based on the room dimensions
(3) Discover how to place the system to achieve maximum
eectiveness and create a hygienic and comfortable envi-
ronment
(4) Make sure the modular furniture arrangement you have
selected creates enough space between multiple individuals
to ensure physical distancing
(5) Select and place the most eective automated UV device to
disinfect the room
(6) Develop a premises disinfection schedule [16,17].
Modular furniture systems enable a multifunctional space and
fast living space makeovers. By sliding movable walls, one can
dene intimate zones at a moment’s notice. Zoning allows isolat-
ing multiple individuals separately and facilitates their adaptation
to isolation. To better prevent the spread of the viral disease,
modular systems are combined with UV-C lamps emitting a short
wavelength of 253.7 nm to damage the DNA of viruses and thus
neutralize them.
Figure 2 below shows how quarantine aected the working
population in 2020. The examined variables are indicators that
uctuated the most during the pandemic, indicating the dicul-
ties the population has faced at the time [18].
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Figure 2. The impact of COVID-19 on work-life balance, productive time, stress tolerance and work capacity of people working from home during the spring–summer
period (April–August).
Figure 3. Multifunctional space plan.
Figure 4. TheWoodsBagot’sModularSystemina‘DayMode’Arrangement.
3.1. Multifunctional space with modular furniture
systems
During the pandemic, people are forced to work, rest and enter-
tain themselves at home. This situation created a need to renovate
the architecture of the living spaces to make them safe and enjoy-
able. Multifunctional spaces with modular furniture systems pro-
vide a promising solution to this challenge, as they allow adapting
theapartmenttosupportarangeofhumanactivitiesthrough-
out the day. The rst modular system with multiple dedicated
spaces was proposed by the Australian architectural rm (Woods
Bagot) [19].
Modular home additions are suitable for small apartments,
where they can help divide the space to create additional living
units (Figure 3) while complying with quarantine requirements.
The Woods Bagot’s modular system (Figures 4–6), for example,
allows one to change the look of the one-room apartment via
zoning.Bymovingaroundadjustablewallsandmobilepartitions,
owners can generate new locations based on their tasks at hand.
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Figure 5. TheWoodsBagot’sModularSystemina‘NightMode’Arrangement.
Figure 6. The Woods Bagot’s Modular System in a ‘Play Mode’ Arrangement.
Those could be home oces, exercise rooms, entertainment areas,
bedrooms, etc.
The system’s design includes an entryway that creates storage
space,twomobileboothsandastationarybathroom.Throughout
the space, there are several storage and space-saving solutions,
suchasfurniturethatfoldsoutfromthewalls.Thedesignalso
includes a large balcony that oers space for outdoor activities
[18–20].
The system is designed such that every roommate can rearrange
the partitions separately whenever needed. It also supports dier-
ent ways people work from home. For instance, the system oers
people with children an opportunity to split their shis between
work and childcare. Parents thus can plan what they will be doing
in the morning and aernoon. Hence, if one parent works during
the morning shi (say 8 am to 1 pm), the other will care for their
children. In the aernoon, they can switch. Sometimes, family
members may share a makeshi desk or a dining table. For this
experience to be convenient and productive, the system oers a
double desk mode [19].
This modular system allows the apartment to be congured in
dierent ways. The three primary modes are as follows. The day
mode arrangement provides a signicant living area, dining space,
separated kitchen and workspace with two additional booths as
support spaces (Figure 4). In the night mode, the living room
is compressed to form a master suite and a second bedroom
(Figure 5). In the play mode, the apartment is transformed into
a wide-open space for entertainment [17,19,20]. The last mode,
however, requires additional means to protect roommates during
the quarantine.
During the pandemic, fresh air and indoor ventilation play
a substantial role in preventing the spread of the viral disease
indoors [21].Onesourceoffreshairisthebalcony.Whenrepur-
posing the balcony space, creating a specic mood is key. It can
be used either as a home oce, a rest area or a place to sleep if the
temperature is acceptable (Figure 7).
Ascanbeseen,modularfurnituresystemsrepresentaclever
approach to creating adaptable, health-oriented living spaces
where individuals can maintain an admissible physical distance
during quarantine. However, they have their limitations. When
arranged well, the movable partitions provide an eective interior
design,butthemorepeopleareconnedtotheapartment,the
harder it is to achieve a secure oor plan. For example, it is much
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Figure 7. Balcony design ideas.
Figure 8. Amobileisolationcapsule.
easier to segment a studio apartment when it is occupied by only
two people, not an entire family with up to six persons or more.
The present study considers a two-room apartment having two
modular furniture systems combined with UV devices.
3.2. Modularpodsasisolatedenvironments
During quarantine, a modular pod can become a very eective
solution to separate people, both in the oce and at home, while
making them feel comfortable. Unlike capsules used for the trans-
port of infected patients (Figure 8), pods and booths oer more
room for movement [22].
Thesemodularstructuresaremadeupofbeamsboltedtogether
to form an enclosed unit, which can be manually disassembled if
needed. This system existed before the COVID-19 pandemic as a
way to divide the existing open-plan space. The advantage of pods
is that they are simple to deploy and easy to move [23].
The present study proposes a pod design that consists of a
steel framing system and wood panels (Figure 9). The ceiling is
enhanced with diagonally extending beams. The panels are white-
painted boards capable of sliding back and forth to provide fresh
air and sunlight. Strip lights incorporated into the steel beams can
be adjusted to emit various colors of dierent brightness [24].
Translucent roller blinds on the pod front enable an enclosed
environment. Before working in a wholly separated area, one has
to check the room temperature in the pod to make sure there is
no risk of infection. The pod size is 12 m2.
The eectiveness evaluation of the pods involved a survey of
10 employees. According to the results, those exi-units provided
favorable and comfortable working conditions. The pods were
placed in a warehouse, as it allowed the placement of multiple
large cubicles.
3.3. Using UV light for premise disinfection
Various chemicals, air ventilation systems and UV lights are
widely used to protect premises and public buildings against the
spread of viral and bacterial diseases. Disinfection prevents the
spread of any airborne bacteria and viruses.
The natural UV light (sunlight) is also eective in reducing air-
borne agents [25]. Hence, insolation in interiors can be a powerful
tool to regulate the ow of UV radiation.
One distinctive feature of UV light is that it inactivates viruses
and bacteria by destroying their DNA (Figure 10). Therefore, it is
good in sterilization.
There are several types of germicidal UV light. Here are the
two standard options: UV-C and far ultraviolet (FUV). UV-C is
a wavelength that extends from 100 to 280 nm, which FUV spans
between 122 and 200 nm.
The UV radiation aects not only microscopic agents but also
humans [25,26]. Conventional germicidal UV light (254 nm),
used in quartz lamps, can disinfect premises, but it is detrimental
to humans, pets and indoor plants. In this regard, it is better to use
far UV light (222 nm). It cannot penetrate the lacrimal layer of the
eyeandtheouterlayerofthedermis.Consequently,itdestroys
virusesintheairwithoutdamagingthehumanbody[27].
This paper considers TUV PL-S lamps from Philips. These
arecompactUV-Clampsusedinresidentialwaterandair
disinfection devices. In addition, they can be used for surface
treatment. PL-S lamps emit shortwave UV-C radiation with a
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Figure 9. The placement of modular pods.
Figure 10. UV radiation damages cell DNA.
Figure 11. TUVPL-Sgermicidallamps,Philips.
peak of 253.7 nm. Lamp glass lters out ozone-forming radiation
(185 nm). The protective inner coating makes it possible to
provide constant UV-C output for stable operation (Figure 11).
UV-C lamps can be used both at home and the workplace as
awaytocreateafavorableandsafeenvironment.Whencom-
bined with modular systems, UV-C lights help to improve their
eectiveness.
Thedisadvantageofmodularfurnituresystemsisinsucient
protection against infectious agents that land on furniture. Hence,
it is best to combine these systems with UV devices. The disadvan-
tage of modular pods is their size; it is impossible to place them
in an apartment. However, they may be a suitable solution for
warehouseandoutdoorapplications.ThedownsideofusingPL-S
lampsisthattheyexertadetrimentaleectonphysicalhealth.
4RESULTS
When designing a modular furniture system, it is vital to consider
its dimensions and the area of the living environment to keep
a safe distance between roommates. The interior layout plan of
atwo-roomapartmentinFigure 12 contains two rooms with
generous space for recreation purposes, a kitchen, a bathroom,
and a separate toilet zone next to it.
The modular system consists of two movable wall partitions
with built-in space for storing clothes on the front side and a
hidden bed on the backside. By dividing the living areas, they
separate the roommates, leaving them in dierent zones. Modular
walls only act as dividers and do not provide complete protection
against airborne viruses. Therefore, the system was combined
with germicidal PL-S lamps (Philips), which destroy viruses and
bacteria. The main problem with this solution is that these lamps
emit shortwave UV radiation has a peak of 253.7 nm, which can
aect the state of the human body. Due to this limitation, the said
device must operate when there is a distance between it and a
person.
Movable walls were placed in two rooms, as shown in Figure 12.
UV devices (shown in blue) were placed in dierent locations:
oneonaworkdesknexttoonedwellerandanotheronabedside
tablenotfarfromtheseconddweller.Ascanbeseen,family
members can successfully distance themselves from one another
with the help of the given system while maintaining a hygienic and
comfortable environment. In families with a self-quarantining
person, the modular furniture system can help isolate the infected
person.
The survey conducted among 10 employees revealed that
utilizing UV lamps enabled a more eective and productive
environment (Figure 13). The eectiveness of modular systems
with and without UV devices was evaluated on a 5-point scale.
The enhanced system scored higher, indicating the feasibility
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Figure 12. A two-room apartment layout plan where the area is divided using partition walls.
Figure 13. The comparison of modular systems with and without UV lights.
of UV lamps as a means of air disinfection in lockdown
conditions.
Before assembling modular pods, it is best to create an ade-
quate layout to accommodate the workforce in comfortable loca-
tions. Figure 14 depicts the arrangement of cubicle workstations
equipped with UV lamps. The warehouse had room for three work
cubicles and one enclosed lunch area.
Disinfection takes place outside working hours before the rst
employees arrive and aer the last employee leaves. It is also
desirable to disinfect the area during the breaks. Depending on
the number of people in a pod, the risk of infecting others may
increase. However, the architecture of the pod will reduce the
spread of the infectious particles outside, while the UV device
placed inside the pod will deactivate such particles.
According to the survey, modular pods were as eective as the
modular furniture system in creating a comfortable and hygienic
environment (Figure 15). Hence, businesses can successfully use
them during quarantine.
5DISCUSSION
The pandemic has aected the whole planet. Finding eective
ways to handle it is a current challenge. Many companies oered
their solutions to assist in various areas of life, including business,
recreation and sports. Soware providers like SAP AG and IBM
launched products with all necessary functions deployed on a
single platform. In general, the Internet of Things market enjoyed
considerable growth during the isolation period, owing to the
increase in consumer demand [28].
As information technologies continue to develop, the world
should expect more ground-breaking designs for sustainable built
environments post COVID-19. The joint eort of multiple com-
panies led to the emergence of innovative solutions for better
living [29,30].Oneofthemissmartgridtechnology.Itmakes
electronic devices sync and thus allows timely data transmission,
instant elimination of malfunctions and eective maintenance.
Smartinfrastructureenablesanewlevelofmanufacturing,where
allormostelementsoperateasasinglemechanism[
31].
The acute need to identify and isolate all contacts of infected
peopleintheshortestspanoftimepossiblegaveimpetusto
the development of advanced technologies. One example of
such technologies is the sensor-based framework of contact
tracing, which helps trace contacts at risk and identify potential
hotspots. Ultimately, it will reduce the cost of monitoring disease
spread [32].
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Creating a post-pandemic sustainable environment
Figure 14. Warehouse layout design where the workspaces are created using modular pods.
Figure 15. The comparison of modular pods with and without UV lights.
Many studies hold that natural ventilation and light help to
kill infectious agents in the room, which tend to be transmitted
by airborne droplets. Far-UVC light is very eective in reducing
infections and microorganisms in a conned space. The reason
is the limited range of biological materials that it can penetrate.
Because of this, the far-UVC light can only traverse and kill
viruses and bacteria, which are typically micrometer dimensions
or smaller [25,26]. There is also evidence that far-UVC light from
excimer lamps can inactivate potentially dangerous viruses and
bacteria [27]. Early research revealed that it is eective against the
inuenza virus. Later studies indicate that this eect extends to
seasonal coronaviruses, structurally similar to the SARS-CoV-2
virus, which caused COVID-19.
6CONCLUSIONS
This paper examined the existing challenges of isolation that
aroseduetotheCOVID-19pandemic.Theproposedsolution
consists of using modular systems combined with UV devices.
The modular furniture systems are better for at-home use, but
they are ineective against spreading infection. Hence, it is best
to fuse them with UV devices. Modular pods are more eective in
this regard, but they take too much space and cannot be placed in
an apartment. Modular pods are a good choice for warehouse and
outdoor applications.
The results of this study can be useful in designing living
environments and workspaces where the spreading virus will not
be able to harm anyone. Future research will focus more on the
application of 222-nm UV light in quarantine contexts.
7DATA AVAILABILITY
Data will be available on request.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Not applicable.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The research was carried out using the equipment of the
Research Center for Food and Chemical Technologies of KubSTU
(CKP_3111).
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Ibrahimetal.
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