Why UVC?
What is UVC?
As identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ultraviolet (UV) radiation (sunlight) or electromagnetic (EM) radiation produces three main types of UV rays that are transmitted in waves or particles at different wavelengths and frequencies. This electromagnetic range of UV wavelengths forms part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Ultraviolet-C (UVC) radiation refers to wavelengths shorter than 280 nanometers (nm) while UVA and UVB range from 315nm - 400nm and 280nm - 315nm respectively. While the UV radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface are mostly UVA and some UVB, UVC rays do not reach the Earth’s surface. This is because the UVC light energy is completely absorbed by the atmosphere and thus no natural UVC radiation reaches the surface of the earth.
From a radiation safety perspective, the UV light intensity decreases such that:
1. The further away the UVC source from a human, the lesser dose he/she is exposed to; and
2. The absorption length of UVC radiation in human skin is extremely short so that almost no UVC radiation can reach the living cells in the skin; all the absorption occurs in the dead cell layers.
How does UVC work?
(Source for image: https://www.researchgate.net)When UVC is considered as a cleaning method, the basis for cleaning relates to UVC been seen as an inactive agent that uses safe radiation or light energy as a basis for cleaning, i.e. ultraviolet radiation.
UVC light cleaning technology can thus be described as a radiation method that makes use of a specific wavelength of ultraviolet light to inhibit microorganisms. The UVC light technology can also be classified as germicidal, which means that the UVC light basically deactivates the DNA of microorganisms that include bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. There have been numerous studies that promote the efficacy of UVC. One of the recent studies concluded by the University of Columbia show that 99.9% of corona viruses can be killed when exposed to far-UVC light.
The UVC light energy cleaning method is normally performed using artificial light sources that include mercury lamps and light-emitting diode (LED) light. The light-emitting diode LED is a semiconductor device that emits light energy. Essentially biomimetic sunlight, the UVC-LED emits high-energy with wavelengths shorter than 280nm to physically destroys the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) / Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) of microorganisms.
The short wavelength UVC light energy is absorbed at the cellular level, causing damage to the RNA/DNA’s nucleic acids which prevents the microorganisms from performing any vital cellular functions. When the DNA is disrupted, the microorganism is essentially neutralized and cannot multiple or infect.
Due to their small size, UVC LEDs enable easy integration into a wide range of products such as those shown in the product range.
Why use UVC products?
- UVC LED light eliminates 99.9% of germs and bacteria by destroying the DNA & RNA physically. UVC products are incredibly useful for hospitals, medical laboratories, medical practices, senior citizen care centers, fire and police stations, airports, schools, government buildings, office buildings, homes and hotels.
- UVC is an extremely effective technology in inactivating harmful microorganisms.
- UVC technology makes disinfection easy and inexpensive.
- Disinfection can be performed at your convenience.
- Non-Mercury UVC products are chemical free and leaves no residue.
- UVC LED products are eco-friendly.
- UVC LED light can reduce smells by decomposing the molecular structure of odour, such as the milky smell of feeding bottles, etc.