What is UV Sterilizer ?
The UV steriliser is a UV tube that kills single-celled organisms that pass through it by changing and destroying its DNA. Ultraviolet rays are dangerous and carcinogenic, but correct and careful use of UV sterilisers will not threaten you or your fish, invertebrates, or corals.
Is UV light Safe?
There are three types of ultraviolet rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. UVA rays are the weakest, but they make skin cells age faster. UVB rays are slightly stronger and may cause sunburn and skin cancer. …They are also related to Merkel cell carcinoma, a less common skin cancer, and cancer of the lips and eyes.
UVC rays from the sun react with ozone and will not reach the ground. However, they may also come from human-made sources, such as welding torches, mercury lamps, and UV disinfection bulbs used to kill bacteria.
Sunlight is the primary source of ultraviolet radiation. Generally, the sun is strongest between 10 am and 4 pm. However, the equator’s position, altitude, cloud cover, and surface reflections can also determine where and when the sun is strongest. Clothes and sunscreen can block ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It is also essential to wear a hat and sunglasses in bright sunlight and keep in the shade as much as possible.
UVB rays from the sun can cause basal and squamous cell skin cancer and melanoma. They are also associated with Merkel cell carcinoma, less common skin cancer, and cancers of the lips and eyes. Avoiding excessive exposure to the sun is also tricky, and it is not recommended to be in the absence of sunlight. Sunlight provides vitamin D, which is necessary for our health. Scientists cannot be sure of the correct amount of vitamin D ingested without exposure to too much sunlight, but they are working hard to find a solution.
Is UV steriliser dangerous?
Most UV sterilizers are safe to use. Only prolonged exposure to UV light could cause cancer to your skin or damage your eyes when you look straight at it for some time. You need to check how to operate the UV sterilizer and ensure that UV light will be turned off every time, not in use, and how to handle UV light bulbs’ disposal.
7 Things you should know about UV Steriliser
1. UV will make plastic turn yellow.
Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) may cause severe degradation of many materials. Ultraviolet radiation causes photo-oxidative degradation, leading to polymer chain scission, generating free radicals, and reducing molecular weight, resulting in a decrease in mechanical properties after an unpredictable time and leading to useless materials.
Regardless of whether the LED or LCD light, plastic will turn yellow after exposed to UV light for some time. Thus you might think that UV will kill bacteria on the bottle, it might make the bottle less durable, and you might need to change the bottle much earlier than when you sterilize the bottle using steam technology.
If you need to sterilize other plastic products, you will need to know that you have to throw or change the item after being sterilized using a UV sterilizer.
2. Maintenance or Change of the UV Light Bulb
There are 2 types of UV light bulbs in the market currently: LED or UV light bulbs. Both LEDs and UV lamps emit ultraviolet wavelengths and work in the same way. However, the UV lamp emits a broader spectrum, while the LED lamp emits a narrower spectrum and more specific goals.
LED or LCD UV light will fade and need to change eventually after some time. As for the cost involved, the LED will be more expensive, but you will not need to change regularly as a UV light bulb.
3. UV steriliser comes with drying functions.
Most UV sterilizer will include the drying functions compared to most steam sterilizers in the market. However, sterilizing and drying using the UV sterilizer will take not less than 30-45 minutes.
4. UV steriliser could use more electricity.
Most UV sterilizers have the functions of storage. Some models, if you put it to automatic re-sterilize, the machine will sterilize every 1 hour until you switch off that function. This could mean that you will be using the machine every hour. It is a good feature, but it could use more electricity.
Apart from this, the UV sterilizer’s drying functions will require more energy than doing a sterilizing job. Any item that performs drying or creates heat energy functions will need energy; the same goes for cloth dryers, water heaters, etc.
5. UV steriliser need to be clean often too.
You will have to clean the UV sterilizer, mostly recommended to clean every one month. Some UV sterilizer will require you to clean with clean water only. Some UV sterilizer will require you to clean with mild vinegar mixed with water. You are required to check and read the instruction manual for cleaning and maintenance of the machine.
6. Keep your UV steriliser away from children.
US light is dangerous to humans. Excessive exposure to UV light will cause skin cancer. Apart from the harmful UV light, it is an electrical item as well. Please keep it away from children as far as possible.
NEVER DRY the electronics items in the UV steriliser
Most UV sterilizers allow you to sterilize items such as mobile phones or electronic gaming peripherals for hygiene purposes. However, you can only sterilize but not using the DRY button. You need to understand that dry function requires energy to dry an item. It could be very dangerous and make the mobile phone or electronic item heated up and explode.
Verdict
UV Sterilizer is safe to use but somehow is more costly compared to a steam sterilizer. You are required to understand which one is better for your usage before you buy one that is suitable for your needs. Steam sterilizer is still popular among parents nowadays due to the price for now. Perhaps someday, the price of the UV sterilizer will be much more competitive in the future.
