A Technology with Longevity
While UV-C disinfection was discovered in the late 1800s and has been recognized for decades, there are still many residential, commercial, and industrial applications not taking advantage of this powerful technology. Although there are safety concerns surrounding the use of UV-C, its benefits far outweigh the necessary cautions. As shown in greater detail below, many applications can provide better product, increase profits, and protect family members, patrons, patients, and employees — through UV disinfected water, liquid, air, and surfaces.
Benefits of UV-C for Water Disinfection
Ultraviolet water and liquid disinfection is a unique and rapid technique to render bacteria, mold, viruses, and algae harmless. Nothing is added to the water (color, odor, flavor, chemicals or byproducts). The process is simple, inexpensive, low-maintenance, and more environmentally responsible than other methods of water disinfection. Learn about how UV water purifiers work, how UV liquid disinfection works, and read our waterborne disease blog posts.
How Do Specific Applications Benefit?
For a more complete list of applications that benefit from UV-C water and liquid disinfection, view our application directory.
- Food Industries: UV-C ensures bacteria-free water is added to the product, without germicides, oxidants, algaecides, or chemical precipitants. When used as a rinse before packaging, UV-C guards against waterborne bacteria spoilage in vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, and other products.
- Farms and Ranches: Bacteria-free animal drinking water increases production by eliminating losses due to waterborne infection. Improved sanitization promotes healthier stock and higher yields.
- Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Industries: Bacteria-free water ensures compliance with strict water treatment standards necessary for product quality control.
- Electronics Industry: UV-C ensures bacteria-free water for use in conjunction with deionized and high purity water systems.
- Laboratories: UV-C provides water free of microorganisms required for accurate testing and research.
- Hospitals: UV-C ensures bacteria-free water for pathology labs, kidney dialysis, and post-disinfection rinses where it is essential.
- Private Homes, Trailer Parks, RVs, Schools, and Hotels: UV-C provides safe drinking water with harmful germs neutralized. It also destroys bacteria, a serious problem for rural water supplies, and helps prevent disease. Read our pages for well water disinfection and boil water alerts to learn more.
- Aquariums and Hatcheries: When used in incubation and rearing facilities, UV purified water has been shown to significantly reduce various types of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that harm fish and other aquatic life.
- Wastewater Treatment Plants: UV-C affords an excellent post water treatment of secondary or tertiary effluent. It also reduces bacterial concentrations to safe levels without introducing a toxicant to fish and other marine life in the receiving waters.
- Nurseries: Bacteria-free water minimizes losses from widespread root rot infection, a common problem in trees and plants caused by a diseased water supply.
- Swimming Pools: UV-C helps control bacteria, algae, and slime formation. It also allows the user to substantially reduce their chlorine usage. View our swimming pool application page to learn more.
Benefits of UV-C for Air & Surfaces
As detailed below, UV air and surface disinfection is rapid, low-maintenance, cost-effective, and does not use chemicals or produce byproducts. Learn about how UV air and surface models work and read our airborne disease blog posts.
UV-C Introduces Room Air Changes
Introducing room air changes is one way commercial and industrial applications seek to combat airborne disease. When UV disinfection inactivates 63% of infectious organisms in a room, one equivalent air changeopen_in_new has taken place. When compared with what can be produced by mechanical ventilation or room air cleaners, UVGI (Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation) achieves very high levels of equivalent ventilation (see Tables A and B below).
The Cost and Efficiency of Upper Room UV-C
In a Russian studyopen_in_new where it was compared with four room air cleaners, upper room UVGI was shown to have the lowest cost per equivalent room air change (Table A). It was also nearly 10 times more cost-effective than mechanical ventilation in that setting (Table B). The efficiency of upper room UV disinfection is due to the fact that it treats a large portion of air at once, instead of having to draw it through a box for internal treatment.
Table A
Table B
Documented Benefits of UV Air Duct Disinfection
An extensive Canadian studyopen_in_new found a 99% reduction of microbial and endotoxin concentrations in an office ventilation system following proper use of an installed UV-C air duct system. Participants in the study showed a significant reduction in symptoms such as headaches, coughs, congestion, and respiratory issues. Read our page for whole house or facility air ducts.
How Do Specific Applications Benefit?
For a more complete list of each application that benefits from UV-C air and surface disinfection, view our application directory.
- Food Industries: UV-C disinfects surfaces, helping to guard against mold and bacteria that speed up the decaying process of meat and other food items. This extra layer lengthens shelf life and increases profits.
- Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic, and Electronic Production: When added to an existing routine, UV surface disinfection ensures work stations and machinery meet strict sanitization standards.
- Medical and Human Service Facilities: UV disinfected surfaces and instruments add an extra layer of protection against healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). These facilities can also benefit from upper air UV-C disinfection, as described above.
- Hotels, Resorts, and Auditoriums: UV-C treated upper air lessens the risk of cross infection for occupied spaces. Direct air and surface disinfection can be added to existing room cleaning and disinfection procedures.
- Farms and Greenhouses: Certain plants are easily susceptible to airborne mold. UV-C, when combined with clean air circulation, helps neutralize these harmful microorganisms. Air duct disinfection, room air disinfection, and direct surface disinfection can be combined for maximum benefit. Read our cannabis application page.
- Martial Arts, Yoga, and Dance Studios: Fitness facilities where members are barefoot, or have contact with others’ skin, are at high risk for transmitting bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA. UV-C surface disinfection inactivates microorganisms that can multiply on mats and equipment. Read our fitness facility application page.
Learn More & Shop UV Disinfection
Ultraviolet.com is your source for learning about germicidal ultraviolet technology and its many uses for water, liquid, air, and surfaces. Browse the following pages for more information.
Shop at AtlanticUltraviolet.com
- Shop UV-C Water & Liquid Disinfectionopen_in_new
- Shop UV-C Air & Surface Disinfectionopen_in_new
- Shop STER-L-RAY® Germicidal UV Lampsopen_in_new
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Contact Us
- Call (631) 273-0500, Monday – Friday 7am to 6pm EST
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