Application of UV LEDs and UVC safety considerations

Silke B. Lohan, Johannes Schleusener | Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

UV light has a wide spectrum in application and is used for various purposes: To purify water, check banknotes, but also to kill microorganisms, making it an important tool for disinfection of surfaces. Triggering a mood-brightening effect on the human organism, UV and visible light is essential for vitamin D production, and is also used for medical therapy. However, in case of excessive exposure, the skin, eyes and immune system may suffer. Therefore, when using illuminants with UV radiation, some things must be taken into account to protect the human organism.

This tutorial is intended to briefly introduce possible damage caused by UV in tissues, furthermore, the variety of microbes and their resistance to irradiation will be shown. UVC as a possible application in humans will be presented in more detail and information about possible dangers will be provided.