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What is Ultraviolet Light?

Nowadays, it is almost impossible to imagine a life without lighting systems. We can see all the lights emitted by the lighting systems. However, the rays we see in general are actually in a rather small range. The human eye can detect rays between 380 and 740 nm wavelengths. There are types of light that we cannot see in this wavelength range, but that we use in different ways at many points in our lives.

Ultraviolet Light is one of the types of light that we cannot see with the naked eye, but is in our lives. Ultraviolet light, or simply UV light, is rays with short wavelengths that we cannot see with the naked eye. The wavelength of UV light is between 100 and 400 nm. It is also called ultraviolet light in Turkish. 

The only question about ultraviolet light is “What is Ultraviolet Light?” is not limited to

In this article, we will answer the question of What is UV Light Used for? We will also talk about the Harms of Ultraviolet Light and Types of UV Light.

What Is UV Light Used For?

The source of ultraviolet light in nature is the sun. A significant part of the UV light coming to our world from the sun is kept in the atmosphere. Although the natural source of UV light is the sun, it can also be obtained artificially. UV light can be used in different areas by being produced from the sun or artificially. 

One of the most important properties of UV light is that it can kill bacteria. Therefore, its usage area is quite wide. Some of the usage areas of UV light are as follows;

• Hospitals
  
• Shared bathrooms
  
• Student dormitories
  
• Elevators
  
• Public transport
  
• Schools
  
• Offices
  
• Hotels
  
• Kitchens
  

UV light is actively used in many different areas and structures such as these. UV lights are used in these areas for many different purposes such as germicidal, phototherapy, tanning, illuminated signs and lighting.

In recent years, we come across UV Lamps. UV lamps; It is used for disinfection, air purification and sterilization.

Harms of Ultraviolet Light

Although ultraviolet light is used in many different areas, it also has serious damages. Some of the damages of ultraviolet light are as follows;

• It causes the skin to become red, flaky, or peeling.
  
• Exposure to UV lights for a long time adversely affects eye health.
  
• It weakens the immune system and therefore causes a decrease in body resistance.
  
• It causes the formation of various spots on the skin.
  
• Human erythrocytes can lyse and therefore cause anemia.
  
• Solarium devices used to brown the skin are very dangerous and harmful because they work with UV lights.
  
• It causes skin cancer.
  

As can be seen from the examples we have given, UV lights generally affect the eyes and skin. Necessary precautions should be taken to be protected from the negative effects of UV lights. Otherwise, you may experience one of the negative situations as we mentioned above. 

Types of UV Light

As a result of the researches, it has been observed that UV lights do not have the same characteristics. In other words, different types of UV rays and different types have different effects on living things. When we look at it, UV lights are generally divided into 3 categories, these are;

• UV-A
  
• UV-B
  
• UV-C
  

If we explain the types of UV light one by one;

• UV-A: from 315 to 400 nm. It is the most common (around 95%) of UV light reaching the earth's surface. The reason why it is so high is that it is not blocked by the ozone layer. It causes skin cancer called melanoma, fading of dyes and premature aging of the skin.
  
• UV-B: from 280 to 315 nm. About 5% reaches the earth's surface. It is quite dangerous and most of the UV-B rays are blocked by the ozone layer. Prolonged exposure to this light can cause sunburns and some skin cancers. It is also excited between 270 and 300 nm for vitamin D production.
  
• UV-C: from 100 to 280 nm. It cannot reach the Earth's surface, meaning it is completely blocked by the ozone layer. It is quite dangerous for health. It disrupts the DNA and RNA structure of cells and causes lesions on the skin.
  

This is how you can explain the types of UV light. As you can see, no matter which UV light you are exposed to, it definitely has a negative effect. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful against UV rays.

In this article, we have answered the question of What is UV Light Used for? We also talked about the Harms of Ultraviolet Light and Types of UV Light. For more information about our products and services, you can contact us using one of our communication channels.