
What Are Germicidal Lights?
These days, everyone seems to worry about germs. Germs can be present anywhere, and in a society that prides itself on cleanliness, getting rid of germs is important. Of course, we are not talking just about getting rid of germs from your home. Many companies use germicidal lights to keep kitchens clean, to produce ozone for water disinfection and more.
Types of Germicidal Lights
Germicidal lamps come in two different varieties. The first is low-pressure lamps that operate on a wavelength of 253.7 nanometres. These lamps are quite similar to fluorescent lights. The low-pressure lamp is also much more common than the other type. Unlike fluorescent lights, which are similar, the low-pressure lamps use fused quartz to create short-wave UV light to disrupt the DNA-base pairing, which causes the death of bacteria on any exposed surface to the light.
Two decades ago, these lamps looked like a traditional light bulb but use mercury in the filament. The second type of germicidal lamps is the medium-pressure lamp design. These lamps are similar to HID lamps and they produce broad-band UV-C radiation. Rather than producing it in a single line, like the low-pressure lamp, they can remove bacteria from a larger area. For this reason, the medium-pressure lamp design is found in industrial water treatment. The medium-pressure lamp is also much more efficient than the low-pressure lamp.
Where Are Germicidal Lights Used?
Germicidal lamps are found throughout the commercial world. They are often used to sterilize workspaces and tools that are used in laboratories that specialize in biology, as well as in medical facilities. These lamps are much more efficient at removing bacteria, helping to keep sterile environments sterile. For residential uses, these lamps are sometimes found in hot tubs and aquariums, where they help to remove harmful bacteria that can accumulate in the water. Geologists also use the lamps to provoke the fluorescent nature of various mineral samples, which helps to identify the mineral. In wastewater treatments, these lamps are used to kill microorganisms from the water supply before the water is sent back out into the environment.
Safety
Since UV light can be harmful to humans, some of the more intense germicidal lamps do require safety precautions. The UV light, over time, can cause inflammation of the cornea of the eye, which can lead to blindness. As a result, light from germicidal lamps is shielded to prevent direct viewing and reflections. Lamps must pass several tests to be released into business and industrial sectors or to the general public.
Germicidal lamps are a unique design that can be used in our homes in certain areas where we want to keep germs out, but they are much more common in industrial sectors. With the use of UV light, it is possible to remove harmful bacteria, without the need for harmful chemicals that can do more bad than good. For this reason, many companies are looking towards germicidal lamps as a way to create sterile environments at a low-cost that is cost-effective and plentiful.