After the currency circulation entered the electronic payment era in China, cash transactions became increasingly rare.

This change has, to a certain extent, reduced the risk of transmitting bacterial viruses from one person to another through banknotes.

However, the use of cash is still a reality that people cannot avoid in daily life.

During the outbreak of the new coronavirus pneumonia, as a highly circulated article, banknotes also attracted the attention of the society.

Should banknotes be sterilized? How can they be sterilized? The Science and Technology Daily explained in an article.

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Banks do daily paper currency disinfection

It's common sense that the banknotes are dirty. A banknote can go anywhere, touch anyone, and stay in any environment for a long time.

But reports of what kind of germs have been infected due to the use of banknotes are rare. The answer to this is to start with banks.

"For the disinfection of banknotes, the central bank has always imposed strict regulations. Each bank is professional and a necessary process at work." Li Daqing, assistant president of an Inner Mongolia bank, told the Science and Technology Daily reporter.

It is understood that, whether during the epidemic or in peacetime, banknote sterilization is an indispensable part of the bank's daily work. The main methods are generally ultraviolet ray killing and high temperature killing.

Guo Haimin, director of the office of a local bank in Inner Mongolia, said: "When a bank receives a banknote into the warehouse, it must first go through a disinfection process. We generally use ultraviolet to sterilize the banknote.

Ultraviolet rays are mainly used to irradiate bacteria, viruses, spores and other pathogens to damage and destroy the function of nucleic acids, causing microorganisms to die, thereby achieving the purpose of disinfection.

As a solid banknote, using this method to sterilize it can directly kill most of the toxic and harmful microorganisms on the surface.

This is also the main reason why people rarely "poison" when using banknotes.

"At present, the most widely distributed banknotes come from ATM machines. The banknotes placed here are all sterilized by ultraviolet rays, and most of them are new coins, so customers can rest assured that they do not have to worry about the spread of germs." Guo Haimin said.

PBOC: Banknotes have been sterilized during the outbreak

Through interviews with several banks, reporters learned that after the outbreak, the People's Bank of China has deployed the first time, detailed the banknote disinfection process of each bank, strengthened the banknote disinfection measures, and almost controlled the control of banknotes. "Isolation level."

Fan Yifei, deputy governor of the People 's Bank of China, said in an interview with the media that during the epidemic, all branches of the People 's Bank of China shall make every effort to ensure cash supply and put in as much new cash as possible.

The suspension of inter-provincial cash transfers and intra-provincial transfers in some severely affected areas will reduce personnel movements and reduce the risk of infection and transmission in transit.

In addition, the measures to isolate cash at banks are even more reassuring.

"According to the requirements of the central bank and the head office, we must disinfect the cash withdrawn from the key areas of epidemic prevention and control by ultraviolet, high temperature and other methods, and store them for more than 14 days before putting them on the market. It will take more than 7 days to go on the market, "Li Daqing said.

It is understood that the central bank has instructed and required commercial banks to control the circulation of banknotes during the epidemic.

According to the requirements, the cash operations of commercial banks are carried out in accordance with the two lines of revenue and expenditure, and new cash is mainly used to pay cash as far as possible.

When returning to the cage, the cash collected from hospitals, farmer's markets, and other channels shall be specially treated and sealed separately. After disinfection, it shall be deposited with the People's Bank of China and shall not be paid externally.

Guo Haimin said: "During the epidemic, we have more advocated the use of mobile payments. Of course, with these strict control procedures and elimination links, citizens can rest assured to use banknotes. The possibility of banknotes transmitting viruses has been minimized. "

Experts: Individuals are not encouraged to disinfect banknotes

Recently, a citizen of Jiangsu Province put cash into a microwave oven because he suspected that there was a virus in the banknotes. As a result, most of the banknotes were burnt.

In 2003, an elderly man in Beijing put more than 3,000 yuan in cash into a microwave oven because he was worried about the germs on his banknotes. After a few minutes, the yuan became black;

In addition to the more absurd practices mentioned above, many people have discussed the topic of "home banknote disinfection" on the Internet after the epidemic, and also put forward some specific methods: apply disinfection solutions such as alcohol and 84 disinfectant solution to all corners of the RMB , Then put it in a ventilated place to dry; sprinkle edible salt in all corners of the RMB, let it stand for a day.

In response, Zhang Zhigang, an engineer at the Biomaterials Innovation Studio of the Inner Mongolia Biotechnology Research Institute, said that it is not necessary to focus on the disinfection of banknotes.

"First of all, bank killing measures and control measures have minimized the possibility of banknotes transmitting the virus, which is enough to reassure citizens."

Zhang Zhigang said, "Secondly, the main components of the renminbi are cotton wool and wood pulp. Although they are water- and corrosion-resistant, they are also limited to local dripping and a small amount of contamination. Regardless of acidity or alkalinity, disinfectants affect banknotes. Both have a corrosive effect. Excessive use will damage the banknotes. In addition, the potential risk of disinfection solution poisoning cannot be ruled out. "

Zhang Zhigang suggested that if the banknotes must be disinfected, a small amount of alcohol can be used as appropriate, but in general, it is still not recommended.

Special Report: Fighting The New Coronavirus