POWERFUL UV LIGHT KILLS UP TO 99.9% OF GERMS AND VIRUSES IN THE AIR AND ON SURFACES
- UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C are all part of the ultraviolet light spectrum.UV-A results in skin tanning and is used in medicine to treat certain skin disorders.
- UV-B has a very high penetrating ability and results in sunburn. Prolonged exposure is responsible for some types of skin disease, skin ageing and cataracts.
- UV-C has extremely low penetrating ability and is nearly completely absorbed by the outer, dead layer of skin where it does little harm.
- UV Technology makes use of the bactericidal effect of UV-C light in the form of UV-C disinfection.
What is UV-C ?
Ultraviolet light in the C spectrum (UV-C) is energy-rich light with a wavelength of 200 – 280 nanometres (nm).
UV-C light is very versatile and can be used for disinfecting water, destroying harmful micro-organisms in other liquids, on surfaces, on food products and in ‘air’.
With UV-C technology it is possible to destroy more than 99.99% of all pathogens within seconds, without addition of chemicals, without harmful side effects, expensively, highly efficiently and absolutely reliably.
How UV-C Disinfection Works ?
Micro-organisms are microscopically small. They are everywhere and have an extremely high metabolism. For example, in hot and humid weather the number of moulds and bacteria increases exponentially.
Furthermore, micro-organisms produce mucus substances that are deposited on surfaces and can contaminate food and cause microbial decay of the products.
The cell nucleus of micro-organisms contains thymine, a chemical element of the DNA / RNA. This element absorbs UV-C light at a specific wavelength of 253.7 nm and changes to such an extent (formation of thymine dimers) that the cell is no longer capable of multiplying and surviving.
The Process:
- UV-C light at an optimal wavelength of 253.7nm penetrates the cell wall of the micro-organism.
- The high energy photons of the UV-C light are absorbed by the cell proteins and DNA / RNA.
- UV-C damages the protein structure causing metabolic disruption.
- DNA is chemically altered so organisms can no longer replicate.
- Organisms are unable to metabolise and replicate. They cannot cause disease or spoilage.
The Benefits of UV-C Disinfections:
- Effective for all types of micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa.
- No disinfection by-products (DBPs) formed
- Low capital and operating cost
- Easy to operate and maintain
- Safe and environmentally friendly
- HACCP compliance
