Consideration of electromagnetic wave interference on microorganism inactivation on reflective surfaces
- 1Applied Optics Complutense Group, Facultad de Óptica y Optometría, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
- 2Applied Optics Complutense Group, Facultad de Físicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Abstract
This paper explores how wave interference, a well-established physical phenomenon, significantly difficult the radiation inactivation of microorganisms on a reflective surface. Incident waves on a surface interact with the reflected ones generating an interference pattern very close to it, that is, spatially stable regions of exposure maxima and minima. Particularly during surface sterilization, pathogens may find refuge within these areas of minimal, or even null exposure. Regardless of the radiation source or its wavelength, these regions of minimal or null exposure due to wave interference will always persist close to the surface. We study this phenomenon within two distinct contexts: ultraviolet (UV-C) light exposure, which primarily induces photochemical damage to microorganisms, and microwave exposure on microorganisms deposited on the internal wall of a domestic oven, where the inactivation mechanism is predominantly thermal. In the first case, we provide estimations of this effect for different UV-C sources (Hg and LED like) and for COVID-19 viruses on metallic surfaces. The inactivation curves with irradiated dose present relevant saturation tails. For the case of microwave oven exposure, we present both analytical and experimental results that link irradiation fluence and thermal rise of area sensors at different locations within the oven. A thermal imaging camera corroborates that an interference minimum is always present at the cavity wall metallic surfaces. Typically, the thermal rise ΔT is of 1–2 orders of magnitude lower near the wall (< 1 mm) than in the interior (e.g. ΔT ~ 1 to 3 °C near the wall for ΔT ~ 30 to 100 °C in the interior).
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BibTeX
@article{anton2026consideration,
title = {{Consideration of electromagnetic wave interference on microorganism inactivation on reflective surfaces}},
author = {Juan Carlos Martínez Antón and María Cruz Navarrete and Javier Alda and Eva Rodriguez-Schwendtner and Jaime Quintana Benito and Natalia Diaz Herrera},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-62300-0},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-62300-0},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Consideration of electromagnetic wave interference on microorganism inactivation on reflective surfaces
AU - Juan Carlos Martínez Antón
AU - María Cruz Navarrete
AU - Javier Alda
AU - Eva Rodriguez-Schwendtner
AU - Jaime Quintana Benito
AU - Natalia Diaz Herrera
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-62300-0
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-62300-0
AB - This paper explores how wave interference, a well-established physical phenomenon, significantly difficult the radiation inactivation of microorganisms on a reflective surface. Incident waves on a surface interact with the reflected ones generating an interference pattern very close to it, that is, spatially stable regions of exposure maxima and minima. Particularly during surface sterilization, pathogens may find refuge within these areas of minimal, or even null exposure. Regardless of the radiation source or its wavelength, these regions of minimal or null exposure due to wave interference will always persist close to the surface. We study this phenomenon within two distinct contexts: ultraviolet (UV-C) light exposure, which primarily induces photochemical damage to microorganisms, and microwave exposure on microorganisms deposited on the internal wall of a domestic oven, where the inactivation mechanism is predominantly thermal. In the first case, we provide estimations of this effect for different UV-C sources (Hg and LED like) and for COVID-19 viruses on metallic surfaces. The inactivation curves with irradiated dose present relevant saturation tails. For the case of microwave oven exposure, we present both analytical and experimental results that link irradiation fluence and thermal rise of area sensors at different locations within the oven. A thermal imaging camera corroborates that an interference minimum is always present at the cavity wall metallic surfaces. Typically, the thermal rise ΔT is of 1–2 orders of magnitude lower near the wall (< 1 mm) than in the interior (e.g. ΔT ~ 1 to 3 °C near the wall for ΔT ~ 30 to 100 °C in the interior).
SN - 2045-2322
ER -