(Newswire.net— April 23, 2020) — Among the numerous “health” tips currently doing the rounds on the Internet, the idea that you can disinfect skin, clothing, or other objects with ultraviolet light is hugely popular.
There is only one type of ultraviolet radiation that reliably disables the COVID-19 virus – and it is extremely dangerous.
“You would literally be frying people,” says Dan Arnold, for BBC Future laughing in disbelief.
Arnold works for a UV light company that manufactures disinfection equipment for hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and food manufacturers across the United Kingdom. Recently, since the global fear of COVID-19 soared to new heights, the company has faced some unusual demands.
Sunlight contains three types of ultraviolet rays. The first type is the UVA, the type that makes up most of the ultraviolet radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface. It is able to penetrate deep into the skin and is thought to account for 80% of skin aging, from wrinkles to aging spots.
Then there is UVB, which can damage the DNA of our skin, with prolonged exposure leading to burns and eventually skin cancer (scientists have recently discovered that UVA can lead to the same effects). Both types are pretty well studied and most good sunscreens are able to block them.
And there is also a third type: UVC. This relatively unexplored part of the spectrum consists of shorter, more powerful wavelengths of light. It is also particularly successful in destroying genetic material – be it humans or viruses.
Or, at least, that was before scientists discovered how to use UVC rays to destroy microorganisms. Ever since they were discovered in 1878, artificially obtained UVC rays have become the main method of sterilization – used daily in hospitals, planes, offices, factories. Moreover, they are a key part of the drinking water sanitization process; some parasites are resistant to chemical disinfectants, such as chlorine, so UVCs offer added security.
Although no research has been conducted on how UVC rays exactly affect COVID-19, studies show that it can be used against other coronaviruses, such as Sars. Radiation disrupts the structure of their genetic material and prevents virus particles from replicating.
As a result, the concentrated form of UVC rays is currently on the front line in the fight against Covid-19. In China, complete buses are illuminated every night by glowing blue light, while stocky robots that emit UVC rays clean the floors of hospitals. Banks even use them to disinfect money.
At the same time, UV equipment manufacturers are reporting record sales and many are rapidly increasing their production to deliver the requested quantities. Arnold says his UV light company has already run out of all its equipment.
But there is one problem.
“UVC rays are very dangerous – you shouldn’t be exposed to them,” Arnold says. When do you look at the sun? This would boost it ten times after only a few seconds. “
Specialized equipment and training is required to use UVC rays safely. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning to people using ultraviolet radiation to sterilize their hands or any part of their skin, regardless of using a commercial UV lamp.
Scientists have recently discovered a new type of UVC that they hope is less dangerous to handle, although it is still fatal to viruses and bacteria. Far-UVC rays have a shorter wavelength than ordinary UVC rays, and laboratory experiments on human skin cells have so far shown that it does not damage their DNA (more research is still needed, of course).
Bacteria and viruses, on the other hand, do not fare so well, as they are small enough for the light to reach them. One study has shown that it prevents wounds on lab mice from being infected with the MRSA super bacterium, while another study shows that it can destroy airborne viruses.
Most UVC lamps on the market, however, do not yet emit far-UVC rays. Moreover, they have not yet been tested on humans, but only on our cells in Petri dishes and other animals. Therefore, this type of radiation is unlikely to help us during the current pandemic.