Long Lasting UV Light Bulbs, Applications & Solutions

Ultraviolet (UV) light is commonly associated with the bulbs found in tanning beds, although UV light bulbs have many uses and provide high-tech solutions to a broad range of applications. UV light tubes are often used in tanning beds to emit ultraviolet light, although UV light bulbs can come in many shapes and sizes, in the form of UV light tubes, U-shaped bulbs, and custom-designed lamps.

UV Light Bulbs and the Electromagnetic Spectrum

UV light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted anywhere between 10 to 400 nanometers (nm) on the electromagnetic spectrum. These are shorter wavelengths than visible light, in between visible light and x-rays. All electromagnetic radiation is considered light, although the human eye can only detect a small portion of this radiation which occurs when light is emitted between 380 to 700 nm. This is called visible light.

Visible white light is actually made up of a rainbow of colors with shorter wavelengths of 380 – 400 nm violet in color and longer wavelengths of 650 – 700 nm red in color. UV light is closer to the shorter wavelengths of visible light at 380-400 nm; therefore, UV light is “beyond violet.” Learn more about the electromagnetic spectrum and UV radiation.

UV light is further broken down into three categories of UVA, UVB, and UVC light. Each one of these types of UV radiation is created when manufacturing various types of UV light bulbs for use in many industries and applications.

Ultraviolet UV Light Bulbs

UV light bulbs are designed, engineered, and developed to provide a variety of solutions to many applications far beyond tanning, with UV lamps designed to provide black light solutions (UVA), medical phototherapy (typically UVB), and germicidal solutions (UVC). UV light tubes are used for these purposes and many others, designed to help the human race in many ways to eliminate the risk of contagious disease, treat various medical conditions, and help a variety of industries with specific UV lighting uses.

Not all UV lamps are created equal, be sure that you use high-quality UV light bulbs in your application by working with a reputable UV lamp supplier.

UV Light Tube and Bulb Applications

There are a large number of industries and applications utilizing the power of UV light. Some of the most common applications include:

Blacklight

Black lights might bring up images of blacklight posters with cool psychedelic patterns, or lighting up the dance floor at nightclubs, although blacklight bulbs provide many high-tech solutions to a wide range of applications. Black lights are used by criminal investigators to highlight bodily fluids, they can identify organic waste, such as to trace the activity of bed bugs, and they can be used to validate currency for fraud detection. These are typically UVA lamps that can also be used in bug zappers and insect traps and are not harmful to humans except in high dosage amounts.

UV Curing

UV lamps are used in many industrial and commercial applications to quickly cure coatings, varnishes, lacquers, glazes, and adhesives. UV curing light bulbs can be high-pressure, medium-pressure, or amalgam lamps and create a photochemical reaction that instantly cures these various coatings. This speeds up industrial applications in many industries, such as automotive, electrical, medical, optical, and industrial applications.

UV Germicidal

UV light bulbs designed to emit ultraviolet radiation in the UVC range, specifically at 254 nm, are proven to provide high germicidal efficacy in many sterilization applications for surfaces, water, and air purification systems. UVC light emitted by the sun is fully absorbed by the ozone layer and does not reach the Earth’s surface, but lighting engineers can replicate this wavelength of radiation to pinpoint the most effective wavelength that inactivates harmful microorganisms.

UVC germicidal lamps penetrate and alter the DNA of harmful cells to prevent replication which renders them harmless and unable to spread disease. UVC germicidal lamps are highly effective at killing many viruses and bacteria and preventing mold and mildew. Several studies show the effectiveness of UVC lamps against SARS-CoV-2, and UVC light is known to eliminate other beta coronaviruses such as MERS and SARS and also other antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

UVC light tubes are designed in a variety of shapes and sizes to meet the germicidal needs of many applications, including Surface Sterilization, Air Sterilization, and Water Purification.

UV Medical Phototherapy Lamps

UV light tubes are used in many medical phototherapy applications to treat a variety of skin disorders, neonatal jaundice, mood and sleep disorders, and other illnesses.

Tanning

Not all tanning UV light bulbs are created equal, and working with an experienced UV tanning lamp supplier provides many advantages. LightSources is a leading global supplier of UV lamps and offers proprietary tanning technologies such as SolGlass®, an innovative glass for effective indoor tanning, and A-Power™ Technology, high-pressure tanning lamps designed to produce peak UVA output while filtering out UVB.

Ozone Lamps

Ozone lamps are UV lamps designed to emit radiation at the specific wavelength of 185 nm, which provides effective oxidation and sterilization power. Ozone has the ability to remove odor and sterilize the air and water.

Protecting UV Light Tubes with Quartz Sleeves

Quartz sleeves are a smart investment and protect UV light tubes in a variety of applications. Quartz sleeves can be designed to protect custom sizes of UV light bulbs and provide benefits in any application, including surface, water, and air purification systems.

LightSources: Leading Supplier of UV Light Bulbs

LightSources is a leading global supplier of UV light bulbs custom-designed to provide specific OEM-oriented solutions. We offer high-tech UV lamp solutions to a wide range of industries and applications worldwide. Our team of UV lighting engineers possess deep technical knowledge of UV radiation and offer custom design and engineering, including custom phosphor plans to meet specific wavelength emission requirements.

HVAC UV Bulbs Improve Indoor Air Quality

Many people want to know if HVAC UV bulbs really work to improve indoor air quality in heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) systems. HVAC UV light bulbs can be highly effective at killing bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew, and fungi when using the right type of germicidal UV bulbs and with the proper installation.

Do HVAC UV Bulbs Really Work?

HVAC UV light bulbs prevent the accumulation of harmful microbes on internal components such as heat transfer coils which are exceptionally vulnerable to contamination due to the dark environment combined with condensation. Using HVAC UV light bulbs helps to improve the condition of mechanical components and reduce necessary maintenance by maintaining clean and sanitary parts free from microbial buildup.

HVAC UV bulbs also improve indoor air quality by sanitizing the air and inactivating mold spores that pass through HVAC ductwork. Ozone lamps in HVAC systems can also reach where direct UV exposure cannot and eliminates volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and foul odors from the air. Using UV bulbs in HVAC systems helps prevent harmful microorganisms from circulating throughout the ductwork in your home or office.

UVC Germicidal Bulbs for HVAC

HVAC UV light bulbs must be UVC germicidal bulbs to provide sterilization effectiveness. Ultraviolet light includes wavelengths in the range of 100 to 400 nm and is divided into three bands:

• UVA is the longest wavelengths at 315 to 400 nm
• UVB is in the range of 282 315 nm
• UVC wavelengths are in the range of 100 to 280 nm

UVC radiation, specifically in the range of 254 nm, is proven highly effective at eradicating microorganisms quickly upon exposure by altering the DNA and preventing harmful germs from replicating. UVC radiation in this wavelength is proven to eliminate many types of harmful viruses and bacteria, including stubborn antibiotic-resistant bacteria and harmful coronaviruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

Far UVC is an even shorter wavelength in the range of 222 nm and is also effective for surface and air sterilization applications, and is safer for human exposure. 254 nm lamps are used in many surface, water, and air sterilization applications, although they should not be used in direct contact with human exposure. 222 nm lamps are providing alternative solutions with effective sterilization and safer usage.

HVAC UV Bulbs Improve Indoor Air Quality

UVC lamps for HVAC systems improve indoor air quality when installed by a professional to ensure safe and effective installation. HVAC professionals have knowledge of the correct placement and direction of UV bulbs for effective sterilization, considering the humidity and temperature levels in the home. Upper-Room Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) systems are located above occupied spaces and kill airborne pathogens for cleaner, healthier air.

UVGI and Air Filtration Filters

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, recommends a layered approach with the proper ventilation to mitigate the spread of disease and lower exposure. Using High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) is important to trap larger particles which could shield microorganisms from UV radiation, reducing effectiveness. UVGI provide effective sterilization but should be used in conjunction with proper air filtration and cleaning measures, and they do not replace the need for HEPA filtration.

HVAC UV Light Bulb Systems

HVAC UV bulbs provide two different types of sterilization, cleaning the coils and equipment for longer-lasting, cost-efficient operation and air sterilization in HVAC ducts. UV bulbs for HVAC disinfectants sterilize the air as it cycles through return ducts. Interior reflective surfaces maximize UVC light effectiveness in all directions. For sterilizing coils, UVC lamps are installed to target vulnerable components, including coils, filters, and condensation pans. UV light for HVAC systems prevents microbial growth in hard-to-reach places, including seams, grooves, and edges.

UVB Light: Vitamin D and Light Therapy Treatment

UVB light simply means ultraviolet (UV) light that has a wavelength between 280 – 315 nanometer, nm. Ultraviolet light falls on the electromagnetic spectrum between visible light and x-rays and is generally divided into three sub-bands characterized by wavelengths:

·        UVA (315 to 400 nm) near UV

·        UVB (280 to 315 nm) middle UV

·        UVC (180 to 280 nm) far UV

Does UVB Light Reach The Earth’s Surface?

UVA wavelengths are the longest and account for approximately 95% of UV radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface. The ozone layer absorbs most UVB light from the sun, and medium UVB wavelengths cannot penetrate beyond the superficial layer of skin. UVB wavelengths contribute to delayed tanning, sunburn, skin aging, and skin cancer. The ozone layer absorbs all UVC short-wave radiation.

UVB light is very biologically active in that it is what helps the body produce vitamin D3. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus and is vital to bone health. The difference is that Vit D3 is the natural form of vitamin D that is produced by the body from sunlight.

Why Vitamin D Is so Important

A vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which contributes to bone fractures, broken bones, and osteoporosis. A severe deficiency of vitamin D can also lead to other diseases, such as rickets in children, which is a rare disease that causes the bones to become so soft they bend.

Vitamin D is also important for the immune system, and some studies suggest that vitamin D can help protect people against infections, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, respiratory disease, and other illnesses.

Treating Vitamin D Deficiency with UVB Bulb

UVB bulbs have been shown to increase vitamin D3 production and, according to some studies, can be more efficient than exposure to sunlight. Skin that is exposed to UVB light in the range of 297 nm will transform cholesterol into vitamin D3, and only a small amount in the range of 50-100 mili joules is needed to generate vitamin D3. Exposure to strong sunshine for about 15 minutes daily is considered adequate, although people living in the northern hemisphere during the winter when sunlight is scarce could become vitamin D deficient.

UVB bulbs that produce precisely 297 nm are required to realize optimal vitamin D3 production, converting 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) to pre-vitamin D3, which will undergo a subsequent rearrangement to vitamin D3. UVB light to produce vitamin D3 is also important for animals and many reptiles that synthesize vitamin D3 when their skin is exposed to UVB light. A lack of exposure to UVB light can lead to metabolic bone disease in reptiles and amphibians because most reptile species are not able to utilize dietary vitamin D3.

UVB bulbs should only be used to treat human vitamin D deficiency or other health conditions under the care of a physician. Exposure to lamps at this nanometer could damage the skin and eyes, and a medical professional should ensure proper lamp type and exposure is being used for UVB light therapy treatment of any disease.

UVB Light Therapy

UVB lamps are reported to have been used to treat a variety of health conditions dating back to the early 1900s.  Many medical phototherapy lamps utilize UVB lamps which are proven to effectively treat a host of conditions such as:

·        Mood disorders

·        Sleep disorders

·        Skin conditions

 

§  UV Acne

§  UV Eczema

§  UV Psoriasis

§  UVB Vitiligo 

UVB bulbs improve skin conditions when administered properly under a doctor’s care, oftentimes by shutting down overactive cells in the skin. UVB and narrowband UVB bulbs are used to treat psoriasis to decrease symptoms and promote healing. UVB and narrowband UVB light is also used to treat eczema, and primarily UVB narrowband bulbs are shown effective at treating vitiligo by helping to repigment cells. LightSources offers UVB light therapy lamps and other medical phototherapy lamps designed to meet specific treatment needs.

 

 

 

UVC Virus Killers: Germicidal Lamps and Far UVC

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to stress the importance of utilizing effective Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) methods, and germicidal lamps are gaining in popularity as UVC virus killers.  Ultraviolet (UV) based technologies are promising IPC tools showing high efficacy in killing many types of beta coronaviruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

As of March 29, 2023, the toll of the global health pandemic as reported by the World Health Organization, WHO, reports 761,402,282 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 6,887,000 deaths in 229 countries and territories and 102,697,566 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 1,117,054 deaths in the United States.

UVC Virus Inactivation and Efficacy in Reducing the Spread of Disease

The Federal Drug Administration, FDA, offers additional information for businesses and consumers to learn more about ultraviolet light virus inactivation and its efficacy in reducing the spread of disease. UVC radiation at the correct wavelength has been used for decades for the effective disinfection of air, water, and surfaces and is engineered in UVC germicidal lamps. UV-C light kills bacteria such as tuberculosis and many viruses, including beta coronaviruses.

UV-C Light Kills Viruses MERS, SARS, and SARS-CoV-2

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that typically cause mild-to-moderate respiratory infections in humans, although coronaviruses are known to infect both humans and animals. They can often spread in animals but can jump to humans and continue spreading in humans with viral mutations. Coronaviruses are named partly due to the crown-like spiked protrusions on the surface.

Some types of coronaviruses may cause illnesses like the common cold, although severe acute respiratory syndrome viruses (SARS-CoV) can be severe, such as the fatal outbreak of SARS in 2002 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012. SARS-CoV-2 is another severe acute respiratory syndrome virus that causes COVID-19.

Ultraviolet light virus inactivation is highly effective at eliminating the threat of coronaviruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus, when administered at the proper wavelength and dosage. According to a scientific report, UV-C irradiation is highly effective in inactivating SARS-CoV-2 replication; the response of UV virus inactivation depends on both the virus concentration and the UVC dose. The results of this study and many others show that the SARS-CoV-2 is extremely sensitive to UVC light.

UVC Light Kill Viruses And Other Harmful Pathogens

According to a study published in 2020 and reported by Biological Consulting Services, UVC virus inactivation was determined against various harmful pathogens with results including:

• Influenza A H1N1 – 99.999% reduction
• SARS-CoV-2 virus – 99.999% reduction
• Polio Virus LSc 1 – 99.99% reduction
• Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) – 99.99 reduction
• Salmonella species, 6 variations – 99.99% reduction

UV virus elimination is very effective when using the right type of UVC germicidal lamps and the proper dosage, and environment such as line of sight disinfection on a surface not contaminated with dirt that can affect UV inactivation results. This is why ultraviolet light virus disinfection is recommended in addition to manual cleaning practices for maximum effectiveness.

UVC Virus Disinfection in Air, Water, and Surfaces

UVC germicidal lamps are typically designed to emit wavelengths at precisely 254 nm, proven to be highly effective at penetrating the DNA of microorganisms to render them harmless. Far UVC lamps are gaining in popularity and showing high germicidal efficacy while being safer to operate in the presence of humans. Standard germicidal UVC lamps should operate in non-occupied spaces and can be found in upper room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) systems, HVAC systems, and other disinfection devices like UVC robots programmed to run through hospital hallways or patient rooms that are unoccupied.

Not all UVC germicidal lamps are created equal, and it is important to work with an experienced ultraviolet lamp designer to ensure effective germicidal properties.