With the current spread of COVID 19 and the challenge of starting church meetings, companies going back to full production, more offices opening up and the prospects of going back to school in the Fall, all eyes are into looking for the most reliable tools to disinfect large rooms and places of worship. 

Since the U.S. president mentioned the use of UV light sometime ago, the internet is full of people looking into this possibility. However, what is UV light and how can it help kill viruses? The answer comes in multiple ways. UV light is essential to our human existence. We need to get some exposure to UV light from the sun. The World Health Organization mentions that “Some UV radiation is essential to the body as it stimulates the production of vitamin D. Vitamin D has an important function in increasing calcium and phosphorus absorption from food and plays a crucial role in skeletal development, immune function and blood cell formation.” Furthermore, UV radiation is the portion of the Electromagnetic spectrum between X-rays and visible light. The most common form of UV radiation is sunlight, which produces three main types of: UVA, UVB, and UVC. In this article, we will be talking mostly about UVC because is the one mostly used in disinfection protocols in hospitals, labs and some industrial settings.

UVC is probably the best-known UV light when it comes to disinfection. UVC light in the form of germicidal lamps has been used since the late 1800s to kill the types of microorganisms that typically cause indoor air quality (IAQ) problems - bacteria, mold, yeast and viruses. Niels Ryberg Finsen (1860-1904) was the first to employ UV rays in treating disease. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1903. He invented the Finsen curative lamp, which was used successfully through the 1950s. It was widely used in WW II for sterilizing air in hospitals, kitchens, meat storage and processing plants, bakeries, breweries, dairies, beverage production, pharmaceutical plants and animal labs - anywhere microbiological contamination is a concern.

So, if you are wondering how is that you were not familiar with the use of UVC? It probably has to do with the fact that UVC is mostly used in hospitals and places were a very deep disinfection is needed. Since UVC light is a very powerful tool to kill germs, it also requires understanding of the possible side effects of exposure to it. This is a special type of UV light that affects the DNA. The National Center for Biotechnology Information mentions that “UV-C radiation kills or inactivates microbes by damaging their deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)”. This is the reason many people are looking into using this light to disinfect churches and large places of gathering. One needs to understand that this light is not to be used on humans. This is only to be used in empty rooms after or before gatherings. It does not take too long for the light to work. Manufacturers of UVC light show more information on the use their products when purchased or on their websites. So, if you are thinking about purchasing mobile UVC light units, UVC Cabinets for cell phones, goggles, and masks, you need to know that this is a technology that is already in use and has being for over 100 years. If you want to buy it for home use, there are some products in the market that might interest you, but if you want to buy one for your church or school, please consult with a professional company or supplier. Our experts at Kyrios-Soter Scientific have being in the field of Laboratory Supplies and Medical Equipment for more than 20 years, as users and as specialists. Count on us for advice on the proper equipment to buy before you make this investment.

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