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Far UVC is a type of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation being studied and commercially developed for its combination of pathogen Mutation properties and reduced negative effects on human health when used within exposure guidelines.
Far UVC (200-235 nm), while part of the broader UV-C spectrum (100-280 nm), is distinguished by its unique biophysical effects on living tissues. Unlike conventional UV-C lamps (which typically have peak emissions at 254 nm), far UVC demonstrates significantly reduced penetration into biological tissue. This limited penetration depth is primarily due to strong absorption by proteins at wavelengths below 240 nm. Consequently, far-UVC photons are mostly absorbed in the outer protective layers of skin and eyes before reaching sensitive cells, resulting in greater safety. However, far UVC can still lead to negative health effects through reactive byproducts like ozone.
While the technology has been studied since the early 2010s, heightened demand for disinfectant tools during the COVID-19 pandemic played a significant role in spurring both academic and commercial interest into far UVC. Unlike conventional germicidal UV-C lamps, which are limited to upper-room (above people's heads) pathogen inactivation or use in unoccupied spaces, due to their negative effects on human skin and eyes, far UVC is considered promising for whole-room pathogen inactivation due to its enhanced safety. The installation of far-UVC lights on ceilings would potentially enable direct disinfection of the breathing zone while people are present.
Although far UVC shows potential for implementation in a wide variety of use cases, its wider adoption as a pandemic prevention strategy requires further research around its safety and efficacy.
During the COVID-19 pandemic far-UVC research and commercialization efforts increased. The technology is currently being further studied for its safety and efficacy, particularly regarding its effect on ozone creation and interactions with indoor air chemistry and the built environment. Latest studies uphold initial evidence towards the technology's germicidal efficacy in realistic room-like environments. These finding pave the way for future wearable garments which can disinfect a programmable area in the vicinity of the user on demand. (2024). 9798350348187 EAN 9798350348187
When evaluating ultraviolet germicidal lights, eye and skin health are primary concerns. UV-B, predominantly responsible for the harmful effects of sunlight, poses the highest risk for erythema, photokeratitis, sunburn and skin cancer. While longer UV-C wavelengths and UV-A can also cause damage, their effects are less severe than UV-B.
In contrast, far UVC has shown remarkably different results. Studies on both lab mice and humans have found no significant impact on skin health, even at doses far exceeding current guidelines. This enhanced safety is attributed to far UVC's difficulty in penetrating the outermost layer of the epidermis called the stratum corneum. The stratum corneum is effective at blocking far UVC as it's composed primarily of dead cells filled with keratin protein, which absorb far-UVC light.
Regarding ocular safety, while comprehensive human studies are still pending, limited research has been conducted on human eye exposure to overhead far-UVC lamps. These studies have found no evidence of damage or increased discomfort. Additionally, research on rats has revealed significantly reduced penetration and damage from far UVC compared to other UV wavelengths. These findings suggest a promising safety profile for far UVC, though further research, particularly on human eyes, is needed to fully establish its long-term effects.
When far UVC interacts with airborne oxygen it produces ozone and other byproducts, an effect that has been demonstrated in laboratory and real world environments. While the extent to which this produced ozone leads to negative health effects is the subject of active research, the mechanism for ozone causing cardiovascular disease and premature mortality is established in outdoor settings.
A key concern for far-UVC implementations is balancing radiation dosage and microbial inactivation rates. Although far UVC has been shown to be effective at inactivating a wide array at viruses at doses that fall beneath exposure limits, the optimal dosage for achieving sufficient deactivation and indoor air quality standards requires further study.
Positive skin and eye safety attributes can be forgone if a given far-UVC lamp produces unwanted emissions at wavelengths other than the a device's stated specifications. For this reason, optical filters have been suggested as a mitigation device. Mitigation techniques also have been studied for ozone production. is used to disinfect the air in a National Guard facility.]]
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