Verilux® Sterilizing with UV-C

What is UV-C? Just beyond the visible spectrum of light is ultraviolet. Scientists divide the ultraviolet spectrum into three bands: UV-A, B and C. Because of absorption in the ozone layer, 98.7% of the ultraviolet radiation that reaches the Earth's surface is UV-A. Each band has different characteristics and penetrating ability and each has different effects upon living tissue. The shorter-wavelength, higher-energy UV-C rays are lethal to microorganisms. This range is known as the Germicidal Spectrum. Sterilizing with UV-C Light UV-C light is a powerful sterilization method that has the added benefit of being a non-liquid and chemical-free. As a result, UV-C can clean household items and surfaces that are otherwise difficult to sanitize without risk of damage, like those listed above. UV-C light sterilizes biological pollutants by penetrating the cell membranes of viruses, bacteria, mold spores and dust mite eggs and stopping their reproductive capabilities. This effectively eliminates the disease-causing microbes. Specifically, UV-C light fuses the nucleic acid of microorganisms by forming covalent bonds between adjacent DNA base pairs. The formation of these bonds prevents DNA from being “unzipped” for replication, making the organism unable to reproduce. When the organism attempts to replicate under these conditions, it dies in the process. In the case of single-celled organisms, the result is almost immediate. With more complex organisms, like dust mites, this process is somewhat longer but equally effective. Ultraviolet disinfection has been used in hospitals, food processing facilities, water treatment and HVAC systems for over 30 years. The technology is proven and recognized by the EPA, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a valid and effective means of eliminating biological contaminants.[1] UV-C light can be used to eliminate any biological contaminant. Different organisms require varying intensities of UV-C light to sterilize, but any biological microorganism can be eliminated with UV-C. This includes Avian flu, SARs, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus(Staph)or MRSA. UV-C light is particularly effective on medicinally resistant microorganisms, because mutations that increase drug resistance do not make the microorganism more resistant to UV-C sterilization. Cleaning with UV-C is an excellent addition to a household cleaning regime that prevents infection, illness and the spread of disease. UV-C should be considered one of the tools in dealing with viral and bacterial outbreaks. It is especially effective on household objects and surfaces that are otherwise difficult to clean. For those who are chemically sensitive or searching for more environmentally friendly cleaning alternatives, UV-C is an excellent alternative to chemical sanitizers and detergents. Additional Benefits to UV-C Sterilization As previously stated, UV-C’s natural disinfectant properties have the added benefit of being chemical free. Cleaning with light is also odorless and has no side effects. Each year, according to the EPA, the average American home uses about 25 gallons of toxic and hazardous chemicals found in common household products, most of which eventually return to the environment, affecting the health of people, plants, animals, and polluting our land and water.[2][3]The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created a website that is a Household Products Database for providing information on the common cleaners found in households and lists their chemicals and the properties of these chemicals. Children are especially sensitive to the chemicals found in common household products. According to Phlip J. Landrigan, MD, MSc, a pediatrician, epidemiologist and internationally recognized leader in public health and preventative medicine, children are at risk of being exposed to over 15,000 toxic synthetic chemicals that have been dispersed in the environment through household products Products that contain toxins includes solvents, dispersal agents, dyes and fragrances, many of which also contribute to air and water pollution. Other ingredients are suspected carcinogens or may worsen allergies, asthma and other long-term health problems. For example, Diethyl phthalate, commonly found in commercial cleaning products, is a known endocrine-disrupting chemical, which can interfere with normal growth and development. UV-C Light Safety UV-C, used as directed in a thoughtfully developed delivery system, is both a safe and environmentally correct method for household disinfection and the prevention of illness and disease. Direct UV-C exposure to skin and eyes should be avoided; however, human contact is only dangerous at extremely close range or high output levels. It’s important to remember that UV-C is invisible and must be shone directly or upon a reflective surface to be absorbed by a biological organism. The additional blue light is provided as a reference for the user, but is not the UV-C light itself. Indirectly viewing the blue light produced by the UV-C lamp does not cause exposure to UV-C. Conclusion UV-C light is an effective, safe and sustainable addition or alternative to chemical cleaning. Used as directed, UV-C will eliminate household biological contaminants on hard-to-clean surfaces leading to healthier living and a significantly improved indoor environment. Seeing the positive effects of the healthful application of light is what drives us at Verilux®. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about UV-C and our CleanWave technology. Together we can live Life in a Better Light. [1] History of some of the first UVGI Systems implemented: In 1909, the first UVGI system was implemented for disinfecting the municipal water system in Marseilles, France. (AWWA, 1971. Water Quality and Treatment. McGraw-Hill, New York.) In 1936, Hart used UVGI to sterilize air in a surgical operating room. (Sharp, G. 1939. The lethal action of short ultraviolet rays on several common pathogenic bacteria. J. Bact. 37:447-459.) In 1937, the first application of UVGI for a school ventilation system dramatically reduced the incidence of measles. (Riley, R.L. 1972. The ecology of indoor atmospheres: Airborne infection in hospitals. J. Chron. Dis. 25:421-423.) Experiments by Riley and O’Grady resulted in the elimination of tuberculosis (TB) bacilli from hospital ward exhaust air in 1961. (Riley, R.L., and F. O’Grady. 1961. Airborne Infection. TheMacmillan Co., New York.) [2] Prosperity Without Pollution, by Joel S. Hirschorn and Kirsten V. Oldenburg, 1991 [3]Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (USA). Office of Health and Environmental Assessment. 500200 -- Environment, Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989) ;500300 -- Environment, Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)

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