How Effective is UV Light to Kill Germs?

The effectiveness of UV light to kill germs is proven in many germicidal applications such as air purification systems and water disinfection applications. UV light also kills germs on surfaces and is used in many applications such as food buffets and grocery stores. UV germicidal lamps harness the power of UV radiation, which destroys bacteria, viruses, and many germs naked to the human eye, instantly upon contact.

Ultraviolet radiation is emitted in wavelengths and measured with nanometers (nm), with UV light broken down into 3 basic categories, UVA, UVB, and UVC radiation. UVA light is measured between 315 nm and 400 nm, UVB light is found in the range of 280 nm to 315 nm, while UVC radiation is between 200 nm to 280 nm with these powerful shorter wavelengths proven to have an extremely effective germicidal function specifically at 254 nm.

Use UV Light to Kill Germs at 254 nm

UVC radiation is emitted in the range of 254 nm is proven to eliminate viruses, bacteria, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and harmful microorganisms. UVC radiation at 254 nm instantly penetrates the cells of these living organisms and alters the DNA to render it unable to replicate which leaves them completely harmless. Short-wave UVC radiation does not reach the surface of the Earth as it is filtered out by the Earth’s atmosphere. This wavelength of UV light to kill germs is extremely effective and is harmless to people.

Use UV Light to Kill Airborne Germs with Ozone at 185 nm

UVC radiation emitted at the short wave of 185 nm is useful in ozone-producing germicidal lamps to eliminate odors from the air. Ozone-generating germicidal lamps are used in air purification systems worldwide to keep air smelling crisp and clean and free from foul and stale odors. Airpurification systems with ozone lamps eliminate VOCs such as ammonia, mercaptans, and sulfides. Ozone-generating lamps decompress oxygen, O² to produce ozone, O³ which is a proven oxidizer.

Using UV Light to Kill Germs Provides Many Benefits

Using UV light to kill germs provides many benefits over other methods of disinfection. Many environmental regulations and codes exist to control the use of chemical disinfection and byproducts. UVC germicidal lamps are completely free from any harmful byproducts, meeting strict regulations and environmental codes.

Companies utilize UVair purification systems to provide a safe work environment and control potentially dangerous emissions to meet environment code compliance. UV germicidal lamps are used in water disinfection systems such as municipalities’ water treatment systems, fish aquariums, hatcheries, ballast water treatment systems, and many other water cleansing applications. UV light even kills some bacteria and viruses that chlorine does not, such as cryptosporidium and giardia.

UV light disinfection provides effective germ-killing properties, code compliance with strict environmental regulations, and is completely safe with no harmful byproducts. High-performance, high-quality germicidal lamps also provide long-lasting performance which requires little to no maintenance. With UV light germ-killing systems there is no need to purchase, store, or dispose of chemicals, providing maintenance-free disinfection systems which provide cost savings.

To summarize, UV disinfection provides the following benefits over other methods:

• Meets code compliance and environmental regulations
• Is completely safe with no harmful byproducts
• No need to maintain chemicals
• Long-lasting lamps require little to no maintenance
• Provides instant, effective disinfection
• Provides cost savings with long-lasting quality UVC germicidal lamps

With all of these benefits, it is easy to see why UV light is the preferred germ-killing disinfection process for many applications. Working with a reputable UVC germicidal lamp provider will deliver the best results with the right lamp for your process.

LightSources Offers High-Performance UVC Germicidal Lamps

LightSources is recognized as a leading global supplier of ultraviolet and fluorescent lamp solutions including custom-designed prototype products. The LightSources Group provides UVCgermicidal lamps used in air purification and water disinfection systems worldwide. We deliver first-to-market, patented products developed with proprietary technology as part of our commitment to delivering high-performance long-lasting, and energy-efficient solutions.

We offer a wide selection of UVC germicidal lamps such as our low-pressure Amalgam lamps developed with proprietary technology designed to withstand high current operation. Our low-pressure Mercury UVC lamps are available in quartz or soft glass and ozone-generating designs. Our high-output UVC lamps are designed to operate on higher currents with heavier filaments for more control and maximum UVC output.