Ultraviolet lamp is a device that uses ultraviolet radiation to sterilize and disinfect. It is widely used in medical and health care, food processing, water treatment and other fields.
So, why can ultraviolet lamps have the effect of sterilization and disinfection?This relates to the properties of ultraviolet light and the biology of microorganisms.
Ultraviolet lamps can sterilize and disinfect because of the ability of ultraviolet light to destroy the molecular structure of microbial DNA or RNA.
Specifically, UV lamps mainly use the UV-C band (200 275nm) for disinfection. Ultraviolet rays in this band have high energy, and when these ultraviolet rays irradiate microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, spores, etc.), the following mechanisms can lead to the death of microorganisms:
1.Disruption of DNA or RNA structure
Exposure to ultraviolet light can cause a photochemical reaction of pyrimidine bases (such as thymine and cytosine) in microbial DNA or RNA molecules to form pyrimidine dimers. This dimerization disrupts the double helix structure of DNA or RNA, making it unable to replicate and transcribe properly, preventing the growth and reproduction of microorganisms.
2.Induce mutations
Ultraviolet radiation can mutate the DNA of microorganisms, causing them to die or lose their ability to reproduce.
3.Produce ROS
Ultraviolet light can activate oxygen molecules to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can react with microbial cell walls, membranes and other structures, destroying their integrity, resulting in damage to lipids, proteins and nucleic acids of microbial cells, and ultimately cell death.
Therefore, through the appropriate intensity and time of ultraviolet irradiation, it can effectively kill various pathogenic microorganisms in the air, water and object surfaces, and achieve the purpose of disinfection and sterilization.
Ultraviolet lamps are widely used in various fields because they are fast, efficient, and have no chemical residues in the sterilization and disinfection process.
With the continuous development of science and technology, it is believed that ultraviolet lamps will have broader application prospects in the field of sterilization and disinfection.
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