Can All the UV LED Products Be Used for Sterilization?

UV LED ultraviolet products is dramatically increasing in demand due to the spread of COVID-19. However, some people mistakenly believe that all of UV LED products have disinfection and sterilization effects, there are even examples of using nail UV lamps to disinfect masks. In fact, the UV wavelength of this product cannot be disinfected at all. Since different wavelengths of UV have different effects, if you want to effectively sterilize and disinfect, you must first select the correct UV wavelength, which starts with the classification of UV and ultraviolet radiation.

According to ISO-DIS-21348 classification instructions, the UV wavelength range is below 400 nm, which can be divided into long-wavelength UVA, medium-wavelength UVB and short-wavelength UVC. UVA wavelength ranges from 315 nm to 400 nm, mainly used in UV curing, ink printing, PCB exposure, nail art, banknote recognition and other industrial and consumer fields; UVB wavelength ranges from 280 nm to 315 nm, mostly used in ultraviolet light therapy, medical care aspect.

Nail art UV lamp has UVA wavelength, which cannot sterilize masks

As for the actual ultraviolet light that has the effect of disinfection and sterilization, it is UVC, with a wavelength of 200 nm to 280 nm, which is the shortest wavelength and strongest ultraviolet light. It can destroy bacteria, viruses, molds, spores and other microbial cells through short-term irradiation. The internal DNA or RNA structure prevents cells from reproducing and dying, achieving disinfection and sterilization. Therefore, they are widely used in surface, water, air purification, sterilization and disinfection.

In the past, UV mercury lamps were mostly used for sterilization technology, but they were large in size, high in energy consumption and easy to cause pollution. Later, under technological evolution, they were gradually replaced by UV LEDs. Not only were they small in size and high in efficiency, they were also more flexible and versatile in product design Low consumption, long life, no chemical residues, safer and more environmentally friendly.