How does uv sanitizer work

How effective is UV sterilization? Does it work for bacteria and viruses? What are the pros and cons? These are questions I hear a lot working in the microbiology field, especially when people think about how dirty their cell phone gets. With more and more UV sterilization products coming on the market, you might be wondering if they are worth trying.

UV light has been used for sterilization and disinfection as early as the midth century. With advancements in technology, and specifically in the UV bulbs themselves, its reliable long lifespan thousands-of-hours and smaller size e. You can find it being used to disinfect: water, air, fruits, vegetables, surgical utensils, tablet computers, toys and a variety of surfaces.

When it comes to UV sterilization, not all kinds of UV are effective. What does that mean? UV is divided into three types with reducing wavelengths and increasing energy. When you are shopping for a UV sterilization product to try in your home or business, make sure that its UV wavelength falls in the range of UVC nm.

Is UV sterilization effective for viruses and bacteria? The short answer is yes, and even more organisms. Some wands give off a blue glow. But consumers do have a few ways to spot fakes. Read the product specifications and make sure the wand is in the nanometers range. Read online instructions, too.

If a product lacks a specific time frame — or lists a duration that's more than seconds — that's a red flag. The price gives you a clue, too. Place the light over a green banana for 15 minutes.

Any UV-C lamp will turn the skin brown. Register or Log In. The Magazine Shop. Eric Lee, a St. It has also been shown to affect viruses in similar ways that it affects bacteria. When it damages the DNA or RNA code of these pathogens, it also triggers lethal mutations that prevent them from reproducing properly. According to Dr.

With their advice in mind, we found a number of devices that use UV light to kill a range of dangerous bacteria and viruses from MRSA to E. One of them is a UV-light-emitting robot that quite literally zaps operating rooms clean of all pathogens. Another is a giant UV light wand designed by Boeing to disinfect the insides of airplanes.

Outside of those industrial uses, there are a bunch of portable UV sanitizing boxes, wands, and water bottles that claim to kill Note that, while none have been proven to kill the coronavirus, a number of them have been put through rigorous third-party lab testing to support their claims.

And just in case we need to say it, UV light should never be used on the skin or any other part of the body. Also, you should be careful not to look at it when using a UV-light device to clean objects or surfaces. Linda Lee, environmental health expert and chief medical affairs and science officer at UV Angel, says UV light and chemicals like bleach or ethanol are equally effective methods for sanitizing surfaces. She suggests using whatever cleansing method is available to you, but points out that, in some situations, UV treatment can be superior.

Another benefit of UV light over wipes or paper towels is that you create less waste. Many say that their sanitizers can kill up to But do the UV sanitizers actually work? Here's the lowdown. UV stands for ultraviolet, a form of electromagnetic radiation. In fact, the agency reports that UVC radiation has been used successfully for decades to reduce the spread of bacterial diseases like tuberculosis. UV sanitizers are designed to disinfect a wide range of surfaces, from cell phones to jewelry to stuffed animals.

It's important to remember that the sanitizers definitely shouldn't be used on hands or the skin on any other part of your body, for that matter , William L. The FDA notes that there have been reports of skin and eye burns resulting from improper installation of UVC lamps in rooms accessible to humans. There are different types of UV sanitizers that are available—from wands to zip-up pouches—to sanitize different types of items.