UVC sterilization is one of the most effective ways to sterilize surfaces and the air. In fact, the use of UVC air sterilizers has been proven to be one of, if not the best way, to sterilize the air of the dreaded SARS-CoV-2 virus, the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease. It is not only the best way to sterilize the air in hospitals, but also in homes and businesses, as we have covered in our previous blog posts.
However, there is still a lot of misconception and misinformation spreading around about UVC sterilization. And all of these are creating unwarranted fear and distrust of UVC.
We’re here to break down and bust a lot of these UVC sterilization myths and misconceptions!
Myth #1: UVC lights produce deadly ozone
We have tackled this myth in its specific blog post here, but because this is perhaps the most common myth about UVC that it is important to include it again in this list as the first myth to bust.
The short answer is false, UVC does not produce harmful ozone.
The long answer is, UVC does not produce harmful ozone simply because this type of UV light is at the 254nm to 222nm wavelength. It is far higher than the shorter 185nm wavelength necessary for UV light to produce ozone. This kind of UV light is called Ultraviolet-V, which is not used by the UVC products such as UVC air sterilizers. A study called “DEFINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF UV LAMPS INSTALLED IN CIRCULATING AIR” by Douglas VanOsdell and Karin Foarde showed that UVC lamps do not produce ozone.
In fact, one very interesting tidbit is that UVC actually destroys ozone. A paper titled “Ozonation and UV irradiation—an introduction and examples of current applications” by Steven T. Summerfelt found in ScienceDirect.com showed that UV lights ranging from 250nm to 260nm destroys ozone by knocking out the third oxygen atom found in ozone, converting it to 2 oxygen atoms instead. This range of wavelengths is the same one used by UVC sterilizers.
So, that’s myth busted!
Myth #2: UVC sterilization products can cause cancers
First of all, cancer is no laughing matter and is a very serious problem in society today. There are many kinds of cancers, and each one could have various causes that science is still trying to fully understand.
But when it comes to the myth of UVC sterilization products causing cancer, many are associating it with the fact that prolonged exposure to the sun is linked to melanoma of the skin, also known as skin cancer. Some mistakenly associate the word “radiation” with “UVC” because the term “ultraviolet radiation” is very common, and society often associates the word “radiation” to cancer. This is not a surprise, as actual harmful radiation, such as in nuclear disasters, does cause all sorts of cancers and other problems.
However, as Cancer.org clarifies, there are many kinds of radiation, from high-frequency and high-energy ones like x-rays and gamma rays, to low-frequency and low-energy radiation like radio waves. UV rays are in the middle with more energy than visible light but less than x-rays.
And even then, UV rays are categorized into 3 main groups, as we have discussed previously. UVC rays have more energy than UVA and UVB, however, because they react with the ozone layer of our planet, UVC rays from the sun don’t usually hit the ground.
But what about man-made sources like UVC lamps and air sterilizers, you ask?
According to Cancer.org, the amount of UV exposure a person gets depends on strength of the rays, as well as the length of time the skin is exposed and whether or not there is protection, like clothing. UVC air sterilizers are typically designed in such a way that there is no direct exposure to the UVC lamp within, and UVC sterilization lamps often come with contingencies and warnings in place.
Just like how one would not put their hands in boiling water, one should not forcefully expose themselves to the bulbs when using UVC air sterilizers and lamps.
But let’s assume there is such an exposure that occurs. According to Cancer.org, most skin cancers occur when there is prolonged exposure to the sun, or in this case, a UV light source. Unless you deliberately expose yourself to the UVC bulb within (which is certainly the wrong way to use the device, such as putting your hand in a running blender) you won’t be exposed long enough to get cancer-like side-effects.
In fact, Cancer.org states that UV rays don’t penetrate deep into the body, so they are not expected to cause cancer of the internal organs. That, and most skin cancer cases caused by prolonged UV exposure is linked to a lifetime of sun exposure, not an accidental exposure to a UVC lamp.
Fortunately, UVC air sterilizers come with layers upon layers of safety measures so that only the air’s pollutants are directly exposed to the UVC bulb for prolonged periods of time.
So that’s myth number 2, busted!
Myth #3: HEPA filter air purifiers are more effective than UVC air sterilizers
HEPA air purifiers are among the most common and, unfortunately, most popular air purifier systems in the market today. To be fair, they are quite useful in preventing some pulmonary issues like allergies, however, there is a limit to the protection they can offer. They are certainly not better and more effective than UVC air sterilizers, especially when it comes to preventing harmful viruses.
HEPA filters are unable to catch viruses, because most viruses are smaller than 0.1 microns and can easily pass through the typical HEPA filter. Not only that, but the pathogens, bacteria, and spores that do get trapped don’t all get killed. And in fact the filter itself could be an environment where bacteria can live.
A study by Jianguo Guo, Yi Xiong, Taisheng Kang, Zhiguang Xiang & Chuan Qin called “Bacterial community analysis of floor dust and HEPA filters in air purifiers used in office rooms in ILAS, Beijing” showed that different kind of bacteria thrived in HEPA filters and that they recommended that HEPA filters “should be carefully investigated during the assessment of indoor environmental health.”
HEPA filters trap all sorts of pollutants in the air, but sooner or later, just like a vacuum cleaner’s filter bag, you will have to change the filter. This is when maximum exposure happens, and unless you are properly protected, you are greatly exposed to all the pollutants that the HEPA filter has captured. And if there are living bacteria and spores within, then the risk just becomes higher.
Not only that, HEPA air purifiers claiming that they can trap the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 have been warned by the US Federal Trade Commission because of false claims. Two companies who claimed their HEPA air purifier products can catch the SARS-CoV-2 virus have already been sent warnings by the FTC to cease making these claims.
Properly made UVC air sterilizers, like the ones made by UltraV Care, can not only destroy bacteria, fungi, and other organic pollutants in the air, but also inactivate viruses including the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
So the myth that HEPA air purifiers are better than UVC air sterilizers, is busted!
Conclusion
There are many other myths about UVC sterilization products, but most of these are brought about by misunderstanding or lack of proper knowledge. We will continue to make sure that people are well informed so that they can get the best air sterilization they can get, and live with less worries from the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic and other air pollutants.
For more information about UVC air sterilizers, contact us and we will be more than happy to give you more information or a quick tech demo!