Specialty and Architectural Lighting — Ultraviolet Light

Researchers at a university in Israel used 285nm emitting UV LEDs to destroy coronaviruses. This shows again that ultraviolet disinfection is an important tool in fighting pathogens and improving air quality.

While no pathogen has been discovered that is immune to ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, biofilms present a unique challenge due to their structure. They allow harmful microbes a way to protect themselves against ultraviolet penetration and are ubiquitous on Earth. Biofilms are microbial communities in a wet complex matrix attached to a solid surface. The microbes produce polysaccharides that allow them to attach to a surface, and they can be found all over the planet, including...

UVC light can effectively sanitize the air and surfaces of car and truck interiors, but there can be significant challenges. With so many people using UVC for the first time to disinfect areas, these best practices can help ensure a higher level of sanitation in any vehicle using ultraviolet germicidal devices.

In the 1940s and 1950s, ultraviolet irradiation of human and animal blood was researched, providing some surprising results for a wide range of conditions. The research was halted due to the rise of antibiotics and vaccines, but is it time to reevaluate this abandoned treatment?

More people than ever are utilizing ultraviolet UVC irradiation in their homes and businesses. This increase in popularity is a direct result of the response to COVID-19 over the last eight months. One of the most common questions we receive is how to measure UVC dose or intensity at a certain distance. This is an important question, and mathematically modeling UVC intensity at certain distances can be complicated or expensive with a UVC light meter....

Most of the impact of ultraviolet disinfection is in the UV-C range. UV-B has a much lower lethality rate for microbes than UV-C. However, a phenomenon called "photoreactivation" can impact disinfection. And UV-B can help prevent photoreactivation of pathogens. What Is Photoreactivation? Photoreactivation is the process whereby microorganisms are exposed to light in the visible spectrum after exposure to ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and begin to repair themselves. Photoreactivation can lead to a portion of the...

One unpleasant discovery that many homeowners and aquarium hobbyists make is that their ponds or aquariums can quickly become a haven to aggressive algae and harmful pathogens that kill fish and plants. Cloudy water, sick marine life, and an overall unhealthy look and feel to the water are the result. But growth of algae is a common, natural occurrence, resulting from feeding, filtration of biological materials, and fish/plant activities in the water. Also, light exposure...

Over the last 6-8 months, the use of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to combat pathogens, specifically COVID-19, has skyrocketed in popularity. Many homeowners, businesses, schools, and government institutions have purchased UV disinfection devices for air, surface, and water sanitation. But while COVID-19 has been an unintentional pandemic, the risk for bioterrorism using a transmissible pathogen has existed for decades. There are hundreds of bacteria, viruses, mold, and fungi that cause adverse reactions in humans and animals....

Although no known pathogen is immune to ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, Signify and Boston University have shown that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be successfully inactivated with UVC light. They have also given estimates of UVC doses to reduce 99% and 99.9999% of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Schools are attempting to figure out how to reopen to the public in the fall. From daycare and kindergartens, to junior and high schools, to colleges and universities, students and parents are going to expect a higher level of cleanliness. Unfortunately, pandemics do not end in a matter of months, and the COVID-19 coronavirus may not going away anytime soon. Schools will implement new practices, procedures, and technology to combat the virus. One of these...