Systems and methods for sanitizing surfaces and devices and methods for detecting an antimicrobial coating

A system for sanitizing a surface, the system comprising:

• an antimicrobial coating that is appliable to the surface, wherein the antimicrobial coating comprises a fluorophore that, in response to excitation by a first light at a first wavelength, re-emits a second light at a second wavelength, which is different than the first wavelength;
• and
• a device for detecting the antimicrobial coating on the surface, wherein the device comprises:
• a portable housing;
• a light source that is disposed within the portable housing and that emits the first light at the first wavelength;
• a light detector that is disposed within the portable housing and that receives the second light re-emitted from the antimicrobial coating;
• an optical filter configured to block light at a wavelength that is different than the second wavelength from reaching the light detector;
• and
• a processing unit that is disposed within the portable housing and that is operatively coupled to the light detector, wherein the processing unit is adapted to detect a re-emission intensity of the second light and to determine a coverage metric of the antimicrobial coating based on the re-emission intensity of the second light.

A method for detecting an antimicrobial coating applied to a surface, the method comprising steps of:

• directing a first light emitted from a light source at the surface;
• determining a measured distance between the light source and the surface;
• detecting a second light re-emitted from the antimicrobial coating;
• detecting determining a re-emission intensity of the second light;
• and
• determining a coverage metric of the antimicrobial coating based on the re-emission intensity and the measured distance.

A method for sanitizing a surface, the method comprising:

• applying an antimicrobial coating to at least a portion of the surface, wherein the antimicrobial coating comprises a fluorophore;
• exciting the fluorophore in response to a first light, having a first wavelength, such that the antimicrobial coating re-emits a second light having a second wavelength, which is different than the first wavelength;
• optically filtering the second light;
• transmitting only the second wavelength for detection;
• detecting the second light re-emitted from the antimicrobial coating;
• determining a re-emission intensity of the second light;
• and
• determining a coverage metric of the antimicrobial coating based on the re-emission intensity of the second light.