Ultraviolet light (UV) was discovered over 200 years ago, but it wasn’t until Niels Ryberg Finsen won his Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1904 – for the successful development of a UV treatment for skin tuberculosis – that its true potential began to be realised¹.

What is UV Light?

Ultraviolet or UV light is electromagnetic radiation that comes from the sun and is transmitted in waves or particles at different frequencies and wavelengths. The electromagnetic spectrum details the entire range of light that exists and UV falls in the range between visible light and X-rays. It can be further sub-divided into three²:

• UVA, or near UV (315-400 nm)
• UVB, or middle UV (280-315 nm)
• UVC, or far UV (180-280 nm)

What is UV Light used for?

Invisible to the human eye, UV light plays a critical role in a host of physical, commercial and medical applications. As well as being used to detect forged bank notes in shops and to trigger the production of Vitamin D in the body, it has long been used to sterilise surgical equipment and food products. More recently, the outbreak of the global pandemic has raised the importance of UV’s profile in the fight against COVID-19.

Recent studies, including one published in June this year by Buonanno et al³, have shown that UV-C light, at a wavelength between 207 and 222 nm, safely inactivates airborne human coronaviruses. Companies are taking advantage of this and product innovations have been hitting the headlines this Autumn, promoting devices aimed at offices and other commercial applications that use UV-C light to create ‘coronavirus free’ air⁴.

UV chambers, traditionally used to sterilise medical equipment, have also been increasing in popularity due to their chemical-free sterilisation and disinfection benefits. Traditionally used to sterilise medical equipment, they are increasingly being seen in retail and hospitality settings for the disinfection of frequently shared and touched hand-held card readers and CHIP and PIN devices.

Improving the efficacy of UV chambers

To improve the operation and efficiency of UV disinfection and sterilisation lamps and systems the surface innovation engineers here at Alanod have been hard at work developing an innovative high-performance reflector material. Called MIRO^® UV, it is a unique material that has a spectral light reflectivity of 90 percent and an impressive operating life of at least 1,000 hours. Available in two versions, for use with either UV-C or UV-A/B, it is ideal for use in UV chambers.

As the battle to beat COVID-19 continues, this innovative reflector material is helping businesses to offer even more effective, safe, chemical-free sterilisation and disinfection equipment.

Why not find out more about how MIRO^® UV could take your UV equipment to the next level?