What is Germicidal UV Protection?

Germicidal ultraviolet (UV) protection is a method of disinfecting the air using shortwave ultraviolet (ultraviolet C or UV-C) light in low pressure tubes to irradiate and sterilize the environment.

Much in the way human beings can get sunburned from too much exposure to natural ultraviolet light from the sun, microorganisms are damaged by such exposure to UV light. However, microorganisms have even less natural protection from UV light, and prolonged exposure disrupts their DNA, effectively deactivating and killing them.

The wavelengths in question are in the following ranges:

• UV-C, 100 nanometers (nm) to 280
• UV-B 280nm to 315nm
• UV-A 315nm to 400nm

In short, short-wavelength ultraviolet light is lethal to airborne pathogens. Accordingly, our technicians utilize UV lamps for applications in air purification systems.