COVID19 Desanitizing chemicals for electronic parts

Thread Starter

mike_canada

Joined Feb 21, 2020
239
We all know we are under a pandemic (the COVID19 aka coronavirus).

As a result, companies that remain open during this crisis period are taking extra steps to desanitize commonly touched items.

When I order electronic parts online, I would expect alot of touching on the parts themselves (For example, the supplier bagging a bunch of capacitors for example).

Is there a special disinfectant that I could suggest a supplier to use when handling the parts before delivery so I get 0% chance of the virus when I receive them?

I was thinking some liquid disinfecting chemical they could pour on the components themselves while they're in the bag then shaking the bag then somehow emptying the chemical out of the bag and then wiping the outside of the bag before placing it in the shipping box, but I don't know.

Any idea?
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
Would you trust certification from your supplier that the parts are free of coronavirus?

You could do what hospitals and labs do. Irradiate the parts with UV light.

If you want to go the disinfectant route, spraying parts and letting them air dry is what medical experts are advising for household disinfecting.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,712
The chances of being infected from a packaged delivered to you is very low.

The recommendations given by medical experts is to wash your hands for 20 seconds frequently and don’t touch your face.
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
UVC will kill it, but so will ordinary household disinfectants. It's an enveloped virus and typically, they are quite sensitive.

I don't like the smell or feel many household disinfectants have (soapy and perfume). A 1:50 or 1:100 dilution of household chlorine bleach in tap water (e.g., Clorox or generic) will also work. Some people were adding vinegar to it in the belief that grandma's remedy for everything would make it better. In this case, grandma was wrong. The active component of chlorine bleach is sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) which is destroyed in acid (converts largely to chlorine). Chlorine itself will be active but is more dangerous.

Here's a link to the FDA-approved list: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
I wouldn't worry about this Covid-19 "crisis". More people die in car accidents every year, but people are not giving up their cars.
And those who do are often hit by motorists.

More seriously, I have heard rumors that those who recover from serious COVID-19 might have permanent lung damage. Studies are already beginning to address that.
 
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nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,086
I wouldn't worry about this Covid-19 "crisis". More people die in car accidents every year, but people are not giving up their cars.
Just hope you don't get into a car accident during the Covid-19 "crisis". You might be on a cot in the parking lot for a long time before being treated.
 

Glenn Holland

Joined Dec 26, 2014
703
The corona virus is an excuse for another $trillion bailout just like 2008.

After the big business community walks away with a pocket full of money, the crisis will magically disappear. Then the only thing the middle class needs to worry about is living in a tent on the street.
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
More seriously, I have heard rumors that those who recover from serious COVID-19 might have permanent lung damage. Studies are already beginning to address that.
I call them anectdotal, not rumors, because I have no reason to not believe them. If medical personal say they've seen it, that's good enough for me.
 

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,853
If medical personal say they've seen it, that's good enough for me.
I've seen a deer fly. Seen a horse fly. Saw a deer tick but not explode. Seen a damsel fly, a dragon fly; I've even seen a house fly. But I done seen 'bout everything when I see an elephant fly!
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
I call them anectdotal, not rumors, because I have no reason to not believe them. If medical personal say they've seen it, that's good enough for me.
It was a reliable source. Left it as simply "heard." I thought the last sentence made it clear there was likely truth to the observation.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
We all know we are under a pandemic (the COVID19 aka coronavirus).

As a result, companies that remain open during this crisis period are taking extra steps to desanitize commonly touched items.

When I order electronic parts online, I would expect alot of touching on the parts themselves (For example, the supplier bagging a bunch of capacitors for example).

Is there a special disinfectant that I could suggest a supplier to use when handling the parts before delivery so I get 0% chance of the virus when I receive them?

I was thinking some liquid disinfecting chemical they could pour on the components themselves while they're in the bag then shaking the bag then somehow emptying the chemical out of the bag and then wiping the outside of the bag before placing it in the shipping box, but I don't know.

Any idea?
How long do you figure COVD 19 can actively exist outside a host? If any concerns swab the package down with an carisoprodol alcohol swab.

Ron
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
How long do you figure COVD 19 can actively exist outside a host?
That's being studied now. Doctors on the news are saying several hours to several days, but there was a study that reported 29 days under favorable conditions ("low" temperature and "low" humidity). I'll post the reference if I come across it again.

The doctors on the news making the claims have no relevant data on this coronavirus strain and are going from their knowledge of previous strains. As we all know, this is a previously unknown strain, so it may behave differently than the thousands of other variants that are known. From the way it's behaving, it's pretty safe to assume that it doesn't behave like others in at least one way.

EDIT: example of medical grade sterilization:
https://www.americanultraviolet.com.../why-american-ultraviolet-for-healthcare.html
 
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Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,853
Here in America, it can depend on the doctor's political affiliation. One side may sound alarm bells while the other side downplays reality. I have no idea what others are saying outside the US. I've heard (emphasis on "Heard") China was misrepresenting the outbreak more optimistically than what numbers were showing.

Truth is - we don't know what the truth is. Or maybe there are those who would say "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"

If 2% of the population loses their lives - there's still too many of us here. Earth is overcrowded. The ecosystem can't handle all the people and pollution. Just look at since people have been isolating, carbon dioxide levels have dropped dramatically and places known for terrible pollution have seen mostly clear days. Some of that may be due to weather, but this suggests (not indicates) the human herd needs to be thinned out a little.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
That's being studied now. Doctors on the news are saying several hours to several days, but there was a study that reported 29 days under favorable conditions ("low" temperature and "low" humidity). I'll post the reference if I come across it again.

The doctors on TV making the claims have no relevant data on this coronavirus strain and are going from their knowledge of previous strains. As we all know, this is a previously unseen strain, so it may behave differently than the thousands of other variants that are known. From the way it's behaving, it's pretty safe to assume that it doesn't behave like others in at least one way.
Yeah, I have read that. Depending on surface I have read from a few hours to a few days to all sorts of pick a number, any number. Read into it I doubt anybody has a clue or accurate guesstimate.

[QUOTE} We all know we are under a pandemic (the COVID19 aka coronavirus).

As a result, companies that remain open during this crisis period are taking extra steps to desanitize commonly touched items.

When I order electronic parts online, I would expect alot of touching on the parts themselves (For example, the supplier bagging a bunch of capacitors for example).

Is there a special disinfectant that I could suggest a supplier to use when handling the parts before delivery so I get 0% chance of the virus when I receive them?

I was thinking some liquid disinfecting chemical they could pour on the components themselves while they're in the bag then shaking the bag then somehow emptying the chemical out of the bag and then wiping the outside of the bag before placing it in the shipping box, but I don't know.

Any idea?
{/QUOTE}

Yeah, I have an idea, take the question to someplace more likely to have an answer rather than an electronics enthusiast forum. Nobody here sports an MD preceding their name. About all you will find here is people who read the same online nonsense you can read.

Ron
 

Thread Starter

mike_canada

Joined Feb 21, 2020
239
The reason why I ask is because I was thinking certain chemicals might affect the operation of (or even damage) some electronic parts. At least I can predict extremely hot temperatures can destroy them.
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
The reason why I ask is because I was thinking certain chemicals might affect the operation of (or even damage) some electronic parts. At least I can predict extremely hot temperatures can destroy them.
If you use some liquid for disinfecting, you need to worry about residue that might affect the intended use. UV shouldn't cause problems as long as the dose isn't unreasonable (and I don't know what that dose is).
 
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