“UVC is really nasty stuff – you shouldn't be exposed to it,” says Arnold. Banks have even been using the light to disinfect their money. In China, whole buses are being lit up by the ghostly blue light each night, while squat, UVC-emitting robots have been cleaning floors in hospitals. Nevertheless, a concentrated form of UVC is now on the front line in the fight against Covid-19. The amount of ultraviolet required varied widely, depending on factors such as the shape and type of material the virus was on. In a recent study – which looked at whether UVC could be used to disinfect PPE – the authors found that, while it is possible to kill the virus this way, in one experiment it needed the highest exposure out of hundreds of viruses that have been looked at so far. However, it's not quite as good as we might have hoped. The radiation warps the structure of their genetic material and prevents the viral particles from making more copies of themselves.
Though there hasn’t been any research looking at how UVC affects Covid-19 specifically, studies have shown that it can be used against other coronaviruses, such as Sars. Crucially, it’s also fundamental to the process of sanitising drinking water some parasites are resistant to chemical disinfectants such as chlorine, so it provides a failsafe. Since the finding in 1878, artificially produced UVC has become a staple method of sterilisation – one used in hospitals, airplanes, offices, and factories every day. Or that was the case, at least, until scientists discovered that they could harness UVC to kill microorganisms. That’s because it’s filtered out by ozone in the atmosphere long before it reaches our fragile skin. Luckily, most of us are unlikely to have ever encountered any. It is particularly good at destroying genetic material – whether in humans or viral particles. This relatively obscure part of the spectrum consists of a shorter, more energetic wavelength of light. Both are reasonably well known, and can be blocked out by most good sun creams.
#Uvc light sanitizer skin#
Next there’s UVB, which can damage the DNA in our skin, leading to sunburn and eventually skin cancer (recently scientists have discovered that UVA can also do this). It’s capable of penetrating deep into the skin and is thought to be responsible for up to 80% of skin ageing, from wrinkles to age spots. First there is UVA, which makes up the vast majority of the ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. So is this a good way to protect yourself from Covid-19? And is it true that since “the new coronavirus hates the sun”, sunshine will immediately kill it, as some reports on social media have claimed? Why infectious diseases are on the rise.How long does the coronavirus last on surfaces?.Will warm weather really kill off Covid-19?.“We had an enquiry from a private individual about our equipment, saying ‘Well, why can't we just get one of your UV lights and put it up on the exit to the supermarket – people can stand under it for a few seconds before they go in’,” he says.Īmong the abundant “health” advice that has been swarming around the internet in recent weeks, the idea that you can disinfect your skin, clothing or other objects with UV light has proved extremely popular – and even been mentioned by the US President. Recently, as the global anxiety about Covid-19 has reached extraordinary new heights, he’s found himself fielding some unusual requests. “You would literally be frying people,” says Dan Arnold, laughing in disbelief.Īrnold works for UV Light Technology, a company that provides disinfecting equipment to hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and food manufacturers across the UK.
0 kommentar(er)
