INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING BLOG YOU SHOULD BE READING

The History Of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation

29 Apr.,2024

The History Of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation

The Light That Fights To Keep Us Safe

Utilizing UV-C light to kill germs has made the headlines over the past year, specifically how it is being used to help destroy pathogens like COVID-19. UV-C light is contributing to a safer environment in a big way. Robots and other UV-C equipped devices can be found sanitizing New York City’s trains and buses, Fenway Park, as well as Long Term Care facilities. UV technology has been around for a very long time though. Let’s go back to the beginning to better understand how Ultra Violet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) came to be.

Check now

It might surprise you that the first paper published about UV light and its relationship to microbial organisms was published in the 1870s. In fact the 1903 Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded for the use of UV light to fight diseases like lupus.

The theory all started with sunlight. Arthur Downes and Thomas P. Blunt published “On the Influence of Light Upon Protoplasms” in 1877. They discovered that sunlight was harmful to the growth of bacteria. It was already known that, unlike plants, bacteria didn’t need sunlight to grow. This was the first time it was recorded that sunlight was in opposition to bacteria growth.

Niels Finsen was the first to begin using artificial UV sources. Finsen created an electric carbon arc light, which he named after himself, that operated in the blue “Chemical” light spectrum. He would put several of these devices together to treat lupus vulgaris, a tuberculosis of the skin. This type of treatment became known as Photobiomodulation, now known simply as Light Therapy, and won Finsen the 1903 Nobel Prize in Medicine.

In the 1930s Harvard School of Public Health instructor William F. Wells had the idea of aerosolized infectious droplets in the air that spread disease and theorized that UV light would be able to kill them UV ventilation systems were installed on the upper walls of a few schools near Philadelphia for Wells to study. He recorded that rooms without the UV devices had a 53.6% measles infection rate, compared to rooms with the UV devices that had a 13.3% infection rate. Wells and his students continued these experiments and learned to optimize these devices so they worked on more diseases like Tuberculosis.

While UV water sanitization began in the 1950s, it gained major traction in the late 1990s. UV light is particularly good at killing Giardia and Cryptosporidium, which has strains that were immune to chlorine. While UV water filtration is more common in Europe, it’s becoming increasingly popular in North America in smaller groundwater plants. UV light is not only popular for it’s pathogen fighting characteristics, it’s also a cheaper alternative to chlorine based treatment options. As older chlorine systems are phased out, new UV-C systems are taking their place.

UVGI gets re-examined every time there is a new global health threat, and COVID-19 is no exception. The only difference this time is that there is 100 years of medical and scientific knowledge to lean on.

Some of this technology is familiar, like UV-C wall mount air disinfectors similar to what William F. Wells put in those Pennsylvania school houses 90 years ago. Others are more modern, like the autonomous UV-C sanitation robots being rolled out at most major sporting arenas. Some of these devices are not seen at all, like the devices being added to commercial and residential HVAC systems to clean the circulating air.

UV-C lamps are the key to fighting against infectious disease and they need the right ballasts to do so. ISL Products has over 15 years of UV-C Ballast design and manufacturing experience. Reach out to an engineer today and discover your solution!

The History of UV Light Disinfectant [A Journey through ...

Like electricity, ultraviolet light is as old as the universe. It just took someone to notice.

The use of ultraviolet (UV) light as a disinfectant dates back to the 1800s when it was first discovered to have germicidal properties. Over the years, the technology has advanced, and UV light disinfection devices have become an increasingly popular method for killing harmful microorganisms in various settings, including healthcare facilities, laboratories, and public spaces. In this article, we will delve into the history of UV light disinfectant, exploring its origins, evolution, and applications in modern times.

With competitive price and timely delivery, UVDF sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

1800s to 1902: First Discoveries

1903 to1950s: Pioneers of Invisible Light

1903: Niels Finsen, a Danish physician, was awarded the Nobel Prize for his use of UV against lupus vulgaris, tuberculosis of the skin. Finsen's work laid the foundation for the use of UV light in medical applications. He invented the Finsen Lamp, which was used successfully through the 1950s.
1910: For the first time, UV-C is used to disinfect the water supply in in Marseille, France.
1933: William F. Wells, a Harvard University sanitary engineer, made significant strides in understanding and applying UV light for air disinfection. He discovered that airborne microorganisms could be killed by UV light, leading to the installation of such lights in suburban Philadelphia day schools to combat the spread of measles in 1937.
1930s: Throughout the 1930s, Westinghouse Electric Company R&D engineers and scientists developed and patented the first commercially available UV lamps. These lamps were mainly used in hospitals.
1940s: UV light was employed to sanitize air in a variety of settings, including hospitals, kitchens, meat storage and processing facilities, bakeries, breweries, dairies, beverage production plants, pharmaceutical plants, and animal laboratories - wherever the presence of microbiological contaminants was a concern. While the use of these lamps reached across multiple industries, the technology was not widely adopted by everyone in those spaces. There hesitation was due to the high cost and the fact that the lamps emitted dangerous levels of UV radiation.
1950s: UV light is incorporated into air handling equipment, and it becomes a significant piece in the control and defeat of tuberculosis.

1960s to 1990s: Defeat and Rebirth

1950s: Numerous studies attempted to replicate Wells' achievement in air disinfection, focusing on preventing the transmission of measles among school children. Unfortunately, those studies were not able to recreate Wells’ success, which contributed to the disillusionment and ultimately the abandonment of UV light for air disinfection.
1960s: UV disinfection became unpopular due to the emergence of more effective disinfectants, such as antibiotics and chemicals. Additionally, there were concerns about the harmful effects of UV light on human health, particularly the risk of skin cancer and eye damage. As a result, UV light disinfection fell out of favor and was largely replaced by these alternative methods.
1970s and 1980s: The emergence of drug-resistant "superbugs" led to renewed interest in UV disinfection. It was discovered that germs were evolving resistance, and UV was seen as a potential solution to this problem. This is really when UV light disinfection began its revival.

21st Century

2001: Over 6,000 UV water treatment plants were operating in Europe.
2019: The SARS-CoV2 virus caused a global lockdown. Different products using UV-C and far UV-C appear on the market. With a wide variety of products on the market, it was obtainable for home-users to purchase this tech.

Final Thoughts

The history of UV light disinfectant is a fascinating story of innovation and discovery. From its humble beginnings as a little-known scientific curiosity, UV light disinfection has evolved into a vital technology for ensuring public health and safety. As we continue to face new challenges posed by the spread of infectious diseases, the use of UV light disinfectant devices are likely to become even more widespread. With ongoing research and development, we can expect to see new applications and advances in this field in the years to come.

To learn more, check out our UV Disinfection articles that are written by experts! Our articles help you better understand the ins and outs of UV disinfection, and whether or not it can be beneficial to your industry.

We hope this helps!

Author:

Amanda Lundberg, BSN, RN

Amanda is a registered nurse with over a decade of experience in hospital, clinic, and healthcare management settings. Her primary focus has been collaborating with patients to manage disease processes. Aiming at continuing active lifestyles for her patients, Amanda has become an expert in adjunct therapies.

Amanda incorporates a holistic approach to heal the body from within. She has completed extensive research in remedial treatments using oxygen, as well as becoming a professional light therapy specialist. Her reparative ethos to health has sparked engaging conversations and teaching opportunities nationwide.

Amanda has taken her passion for articulating technical medical language and transitioned to freelance writing. She enjoys bringing a clinical voice to health and wellness brands.

Meet all of our experts here!

The company is the world’s best uv sterilization device for sale supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Previous: Why is roots blower manufacturer Better?

Next: Board & Batten Metal Siding: A Versatile Choice for Buildings

Guest Posts