Exposure to ultraviolet. How to protect yourself from the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays

What kind of radiation is this

Ultraviolet radiation, ultraviolet rays, UV radiation, electromagnetic radiation invisible to the eye, occupying the spectral region between visible and X-ray radiation within the wavelength range of 400-10 nm. The entire region of UV radiation is conventionally divided into near (400-200 nm) and far, or vacuum (200-10 nm); the latter name is due to the fact that UV radiation from this area is strongly absorbed by air and is studied using vacuum spectral instruments.

Natural sources of UV radiation are the Sun, stars, nebulae and other space objects. However, only the long-wave part of UV radiation - 290 nm - reaches the earth's surface. Shorter wavelength UV radiation is absorbed by ozone, oxygen and other components of the atmosphere at an altitude of 30-200 km from the Earth's surface, which plays a large role in atmospheric processes.

Artificial sources of UV radiation. For various applications The UV radiation industry produces mercury, hydrogen, xenon and other gas-discharge lamps, the windows of which (or the entire bulb) are made of materials transparent to UV radiation (usually quartz). Any high-temperature plasma (plasma of electric sparks and arcs, plasma formed when focusing powerful laser radiation in gases or on a surface solids, etc.) is a powerful source of UV radiation.

Despite the fact that ultraviolet radiation is given to us by nature itself, it is unsafe

There are three types of ultraviolet: “A”; "B"; "WITH". The ozone layer prevents Ultraviolet C from reaching the earth's surface. Light in the ultraviolet “A” spectrum has a wavelength from 320 to 400 nm, light in the ultraviolet “B” spectrum has a wavelength from 290 to 320 nm. UV radiation has sufficient energy to affect chemical bonds, including in living cells.

The energy from the ultraviolet component of sunlight causes damage to microorganisms at the cellular and genetic levels, the same damage done to humans, but it is limited to the skin and eyes. Sunburn is caused by exposure to ultraviolet B rays. Ultraviolet “A” penetrates much deeper than ultraviolet “B” and contributes to premature aging of the skin. In addition, exposure to ultraviolet A and B leads to skin cancer.

From the history of ultraviolet rays

The bactericidal effect of ultraviolet rays was discovered about 100 years ago. The first laboratory tests of UVR in the 1920s were so promising that complete eradication of airborne infections seemed possible in the very near future. UVI has been widely used since the 1930s and was first used in 1936 to sterilize the air in a surgical operating room. In 1937, the first use of UVR in the ventilation system of an American school impressively reduced the incidence of measles and other infections among students. Then it seemed that a wonderful remedy had been found to combat airborne infections. However, further study of UVR and its dangerous side effects has seriously limited its use in the presence of people.

The penetration power of ultraviolet rays is small and they travel only in a straight line, i.e. In any workroom, many shaded areas are formed that are not subject to bactericidal treatment. As you move away from the source of ultraviolet radiation, its biocidal action decreases sharply. The action of the rays is limited to the surface of the irradiated object, and its purity is of great importance.

Bactericidal effect of ultraviolet light

The disinfecting effect of UV radiation is mainly due to photochemical reactions, which result in irreversible DNA damage. In addition to DNA, ultraviolet radiation also affects other cell structures, in particular RNA and cell membranes. Ultraviolet light, as a high-precision weapon, specifically affects living cells without affecting the chemical composition of the environment, which is the case for chemical disinfectants. The latter property distinguishes it extremely favorably from all chemical methods of disinfection.

Application of ultraviolet

Ultraviolet is currently used in various areas: medical institutions (hospitals, clinics, hospitals); Food Industry(foods, drinks); pharmaceutical industry; veterinary medicine; for disinfection of drinking, recycled and waste water.

Modern advances in lighting and electrical engineering have provided the conditions for the creation of large UV disinfection complexes. The widespread introduction of UV technology into municipal and industrial water supply systems makes it possible to ensure effective disinfection (disinfection) of both drinking water before being supplied to the city water supply network and wastewater before being released into water bodies. This eliminates the use of toxic chlorine and significantly increases the reliability and safety of water supply and sewerage systems in general.

Ultraviolet water disinfection

One of the urgent tasks in the disinfection of drinking water, as well as industrial and domestic wastewater after their clarification (biological purification) is the use of technology that does not use chemical reagents, i.e. technology that does not lead to the formation of toxic compounds during the disinfection process (as in the case of chlorine compounds and ozonation) while simultaneously completely destroying pathogenic microflora.

There are three sections of the ultraviolet radiation spectrum, which have different biological effects. Ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength of 390-315 nm has a weak biological effect. UV rays in the range of 315-280 nm have an antirachitic effect, and ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength of 280-200 nm has the ability to kill microorganisms.

Ultraviolet rays with a wavelength of 220-280 have a detrimental effect on bacteria, with the maximum bactericidal effect corresponding to a wavelength of 264 nm. This circumstance is used in bactericidal installations designed to disinfect mainly groundwater. The source of ultraviolet rays is a mercury-argon or mercury-quartz lamp, installed in a quartz case in the center of the metal case. The cover protects the lamp from contact with water, but allows ultraviolet rays to pass through. Disinfection occurs during the flow of water in the space between the body and the cover with direct exposure to ultraviolet rays on microbes.

The bactericidal effect is assessed in units called bacts (b). To ensure the bactericidal effect of ultraviolet irradiation, approximately 50 μb min/cm2 is sufficient. UV irradiation is the most promising method of water disinfection with high efficiency against pathogenic microorganisms, which does not lead to the formation of harmful by-products, which sometimes causes ozonation.

UV irradiation is ideal for disinfecting artesian waters

The view that groundwater is considered free of microbial contaminants as a result of water filtration through the soil is not entirely correct. Research has shown that groundwater is free of large microorganisms, such as protozoa or helminths, but smaller microorganisms, such as viruses, can penetrate the soil into underground water sources. Even if bacteria are not found in the water, disinfection equipment should serve as a barrier against seasonal or emergency contamination.

UV irradiation should be used to ensure water disinfection to standard quality in terms of microbiological indicators, while the required doses are selected based on the required reduction in the concentration of pathogenic and indicator microorganisms.

UV irradiation does not form reaction by-products; its dose can be increased to values ​​that ensure epidemiological safety for both bacteria and viruses. It is known that UV radiation acts on viruses much more effectively than chlorine, so the use of ultraviolet radiation in the preparation of drinking water allows, in particular, to largely solve the problem of removing hepatitis A viruses, which is not always solved with traditional chlorination technology.

The use of UV irradiation as disinfection is recommended for water that has already been purified for color, turbidity and iron content. The effect of water disinfection is monitored by determining the total number of bacteria in 1 cm3 of water and the number of indicator bacteria of the E. coli group in 1 liter of water after its disinfection.

Today, flow-type UV lamps are widely used. The main element of this installation is a block of irradiators consisting of UV spectrum lamps in an amount determined by the required productivity for treated water. Inside the lamp has a cavity for flow. Contact with UV rays occurs through special windows inside the lamp. The body of the installation is made of metal, which protects against the penetration of rays into the environment.

Water supplied to the installation must meet the following requirements:

• total iron content – ​​no more than 0.3 mg/l, manganese – 0.1 mg/l;


• hydrogen sulfide content – ​​no more than 0.05 mg/l;


• turbidity – no more than 2 mg/l for kaolin;


• color – no more than 35 degrees.

The ultraviolet disinfection method has the following advantages over oxidative disinfection methods (chlorination, ozonation):

• UV irradiation is lethal to most aquatic bacteria, viruses, spores and protozoa. It destroys the causative agents of infectious diseases such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery, viral hepatitis, polio, etc. The use of ultraviolet light allows for more effective disinfection than chlorination, especially in relation to viruses;


• disinfection with ultraviolet light occurs due to photochemical reactions inside microorganisms, therefore, changes in the characteristics of water have a much smaller impact on its effectiveness than when disinfecting with chemical reagents. In particular, the effect of ultraviolet radiation on microorganisms is not affected by water pH and temperature;


• toxic and mutagenic compounds that have a negative impact on the biocenosis of water bodies are not detected in water treated with ultraviolet radiation;


• unlike oxidative technologies, there are no negative effects in case of overdose. This makes it possible to significantly simplify control over the disinfection process and not carry out tests to determine the residual concentration of the disinfectant in the water;


• disinfection time under UV irradiation is 1-10 seconds in flow mode, so there is no need to create contact containers;


• Recent achievements in lighting and electrical engineering make it possible to ensure a high degree of reliability of UV complexes. Modern UV lamps and ballasts for them are mass-produced and have a long service life;


• Disinfection with ultraviolet radiation is characterized by lower operating costs than with chlorination and, especially, ozonation. This is due to relatively low energy costs (3-5 times less than with ozonation); no need for expensive reagents: liquid chlorine, sodium or calcium hypochlorite, as well as no need for dechlorination reagents;


• there is no need to create warehouses of toxic chlorine-containing reagents that require compliance with special technical and environmental safety measures, which increases the reliability of water supply and sewerage systems in general;


• ultraviolet equipment is compact, requires minimal space, its implementation is possible in existing technological processes treatment facilities without stopping them, with minimal volumes of construction and installation work.

The oxygen, sunlight and water contained in the Earth's atmosphere are the main conditions conducive to the continuation of life on the planet. Researchers have long proven that the intensity and spectrum of solar radiation in the vacuum that exists in space remains unchanged.

On Earth, the intensity of its impact, which we call ultraviolet radiation, depends on many factors. These include: the time of year, the geographical location of the area above sea level, the thickness of the ozone layer, cloudiness, as well as the level of concentration of industrial and natural impurities in the air masses.

Ultra-violet rays

Sunlight reaches us in two ranges. The human eye can only distinguish one of them. Ultraviolet rays are found in the spectrum invisible to humans. What are they? These are nothing more than electromagnetic waves. The wavelength of ultraviolet radiation ranges from 7 to 14 nm. Such waves carry enormous flows of thermal energy to our planet, which is why they are often called thermal waves.

Ultraviolet radiation is usually understood as a broad spectrum consisting of electromagnetic waves with a range conventionally divided into high and low beams. The first of them are considered vacuum. They are completely absorbed by the upper layers of the atmosphere. Under Earth conditions, their generation is possible only in vacuum chambers.

As for near ultraviolet rays, they are divided into three subgroups, classified according to ranges into:

Long, ranging from 400 to 315 nanometers;

Medium - from 315 to 280 nanometers;

Short - from 280 to 100 nanometers.

Measuring instruments

How does a person detect ultraviolet radiation? Today, there are many special devices designed not only for professional but also for domestic use. With their help, the intensity and frequency, as well as the magnitude of the received dose of UV rays, are measured. The results allow us to assess their possible harm to the body.

Ultraviolet sources

The main “supplier” of UV rays on our planet is, of course, the Sun. However, today man has also invented artificial sources of ultraviolet radiation, which are special lamp devices. Among them:

Mercury-quartz lamp high pressure, capable of operating in the general range from 100 to 400 nm;

A luminescent vital lamp that generates waves with a length of 280 to 380 nm, the maximum peak of its emission is between 310 and 320 nm;

Ozone-free and ozone bactericidal lamps that produce ultraviolet rays, 80% of which are 185 nm in length.

Benefits of UV rays

Similar to natural ultraviolet radiation coming from the Sun, light produced by special devices affects the cells of plants and living organisms, changing their chemical structure. Today, researchers know of only a few species of bacteria that can exist without these rays. The rest of the organisms, if they find themselves in conditions where there is no ultraviolet radiation, will certainly die.

UV rays can have a significant impact on ongoing metabolic processes. They increase the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the central nervous and endocrine systems. Under the influence of ultraviolet light, the production of vitamin D is activated. This is the main component that promotes the absorption of calcium and prevents the development of osteoporosis and rickets.

Harm from UV rays

Harsh ultraviolet radiation, which is destructive to living organisms, is not allowed to reach the Earth by the ozone layers located in the stratosphere. However, rays in the middle range reaching the surface of our planet can cause:

Ultraviolet erythema - severe skin burn;

Cataract - clouding of the lens of the eye, which leads to blindness;

Melanoma is skin cancer.

In addition, ultraviolet rays can have a mutagenic effect and cause disruptions in the functioning of the immune system, which causes the occurrence of oncological pathologies.

Skin lesions

Ultraviolet rays sometimes cause:

1. Acute skin injuries. Their occurrence is facilitated by high doses of solar radiation containing mid-range rays. They act on the skin for a short time, causing erythema and acute photodermatosis.
2. Delayed skin damage. It occurs after prolonged exposure to long-wave UV rays. These are chronic photodermatitis, solar geroderma, photoaging of the skin, the occurrence of neoplasms, ultraviolet mutagenesis, basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer. Herpes is also on this list.

Both acute and delayed damage are sometimes caused by excessive exposure to artificial sunbathing, as well as when visiting solariums that use uncertified equipment or where UV lamp calibration measures are not carried out.

Skin protection

The human body, with limited quantities any sunbathing, can cope with ultraviolet radiation on its own. The fact is that over 20% of such rays can be blocked by a healthy epidermis. Today, protection from ultraviolet radiation, in order to avoid the occurrence of malignant formations, will require:

Limiting time spent in the sun, which is especially important during summer afternoons;

Wearing light, but at the same time closed clothing;

Selection of effective sunscreens.

Using the bactericidal properties of ultraviolet light

UV rays can kill fungus, as well as other microbes that are found on objects, wall surfaces, floors, ceilings and in the air. These bactericidal properties of ultraviolet radiation are widely used in medicine, and they are used accordingly. Special lamps that produce UV rays ensure the sterility of surgical and manipulation rooms. However, ultraviolet bactericidal radiation is used by doctors not only to combat various nosocomial infections, but also as one of the methods for eliminating many diseases.

Phototherapy

The use of ultraviolet radiation in medicine is one of the methods of getting rid of various diseases. During this treatment, a dosed effect of UV rays is applied to the patient’s body. At the same time, the use of ultraviolet radiation in medicine for these purposes becomes possible through the use of special phototherapy lamps.

A similar procedure is carried out to eliminate diseases of the skin, joints, respiratory organs, peripheral nervous system, and female genital organs. Ultraviolet light is prescribed to speed up the healing process of wounds and to prevent rickets.

The use of ultraviolet radiation is especially effective in the treatment of psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, some types of dermatitis, prurigo, porphyria, and pruritis. It is worth noting that this procedure does not require anesthesia and does not cause any discomfort in the patient.

The use of a lamp that produces ultraviolet light allows one to obtain good results in the treatment of patients who have undergone severe purulent operations. In this case, patients are also helped by the bactericidal property of these waves.

The use of UV rays in cosmetology

Infrared waves are also actively used in the field of maintaining human beauty and health. Thus, the use of ultraviolet bactericidal radiation is necessary to ensure the sterility of various rooms and devices. For example, this could be the prevention of infection of manicure instruments.

The use of ultraviolet radiation in cosmetology is, of course, a solarium. In it, with the help of special lamps, clients can get a tan. It perfectly protects the skin from possible subsequent sunburns. That is why cosmetologists recommend undergoing several sessions in a solarium before traveling to hot countries or the sea.

Special UV lamps are also necessary in cosmetology. Thanks to them, rapid polymerization of the special gel used for manicure occurs.

Determination of electronic structures of objects

Ultraviolet radiation also finds its use in physical research. With its help, reflection, absorption and emission spectra in the UV region are determined. This makes it possible to clarify the electronic structure of ions, atoms, molecules and solids.

The UV spectra of stars, the Sun and other planets carry information about the physical processes that occur in the hot regions of the space objects under study.

Water purification

Where else are UV rays used? Ultraviolet bactericidal radiation is used to disinfect drinking water. And if chlorine was previously used for this purpose, today its negative effect on the body has been studied quite well. So, the vapors of this substance can cause poisoning. The entry of chlorine into the body provokes the occurrence of cancer. That is why ultraviolet lamps are increasingly being used to disinfect water in private homes.

UV rays are also used in swimming pools. Ultraviolet emitters are used in the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries to eliminate bacteria. These areas also need clean water.

Air disinfection

Where else do people use UV rays? The use of ultraviolet radiation for air disinfection is also becoming increasingly common in Lately. Recirculators and emitters are installed in crowded places, such as supermarkets, airports and train stations. The use of ultraviolet radiation, which affects microorganisms, allows disinfection of their habitat to the highest degree, up to 99.9%.

Household use

Quartz lamps that create UV rays have been disinfecting and purifying the air in clinics and hospitals for many years. However, recently, ultraviolet radiation is increasingly being used in everyday life. It is highly effective in eliminating organic contaminants such as mildew, viruses, yeast and bacteria. These microorganisms spread especially quickly in those rooms where people, for various reasons, tightly close windows and doors for a long time.

Usage bactericidal irradiator in domestic conditions it becomes expedient with a small living area and big family, in which there are small children and pets. A UV lamp will allow you to periodically disinfect rooms, minimizing the risk of the occurrence and further transmission of diseases.

Similar devices are also used by tuberculosis patients. After all, such patients do not always undergo treatment in a hospital. While at home, they need to disinfect their home, including using ultraviolet radiation.

Application in forensics

Scientists have developed a technology that allows them to detect minimal doses of explosives. For this purpose, a device is used that produces ultraviolet radiation. Such a device is capable of detecting the presence of dangerous elements in the air and water, on fabric, as well as on the skin of a crime suspect.

Ultraviolet and infrared radiation is also used for macro photography of objects with invisible and barely visible traces of a crime. This allows forensic scientists to study documents and traces of a shot, texts that have undergone changes as a result of being covered in blood, ink, etc.

Other uses of UV rays

Ultraviolet radiation is used:

In show business to create lighting effects and lighting;

In currency detectors;

In printing;

In livestock and agriculture;

For catching insects;

In restoration;

For chromatographic analysis.

Water, sunlight and oxygen contained in the earth’s atmosphere are the main conditions for the emergence and factors that ensure the continuation of life on our planet. At the same time, it has long been proven that the spectrum and intensity of solar radiation in the vacuum of space are unchanged, and on Earth the impact of ultraviolet radiation depends on many reasons: time of year, geographic location, altitude above sea level, thickness of the ozone layer, cloudiness and the level of concentration of natural and industrial impurities in the air.

What are ultraviolet rays

The sun emits rays in ranges visible and invisible to the human eye. The invisible spectrum includes infrared and ultraviolet rays.

Infrared radiation is electromagnetic waves with a length of 7 to 14 nm, which carry a colossal flow of thermal energy to the Earth, and therefore they are often called thermal. The share of infrared rays in solar radiation is 40%.

Ultraviolet radiation is a spectrum of electromagnetic waves, the range of which is conventionally divided into near and far ultraviolet rays. Distant or vacuum rays are completely absorbed by the upper layers of the atmosphere. Under terrestrial conditions, they are artificially generated only in vacuum chambers.

Near ultraviolet rays are divided into three subgroups of ranges:

• long – A (UVA) from 400 to 315 nm;
• medium – B (UVB) from 315 to 280 nm;
• short – C (UVC) from 280 to 100 nm.

How is ultraviolet radiation measured? Today, there are many special devices, both for domestic and professional use, that allow you to measure the frequency, intensity and magnitude of the received dose of UV rays, and thereby assess their likely harmfulness to the body.

Despite the fact that ultraviolet radiation makes up only about 10% of sunlight, it was thanks to its influence that a qualitative leap occurred in the evolutionary development of life - the emergence of organisms from water to land.

Main sources of ultraviolet radiation

The main and natural source of ultraviolet radiation is, of course, the Sun. But man has also learned to “produce ultraviolet light” using special lamp devices:

• high-pressure mercury-quartz lamps operating in the general range of UV radiation - 100-400 nm;
• vital fluorescent lamps generating wavelengths from 280 to 380 nm, with a maximum emission peak between 310 and 320 nm;
• ozone and non-ozone (with quartz glass) bactericidal lamps, 80% of ultraviolet rays of which are at a length of 185 nm.

Both ultraviolet radiation from the sun and artificial ultraviolet light have the ability to affect the chemical structure of cells of living organisms and plants, and at the moment, only some species of bacteria are known that can do without it. For everyone else, the lack of ultraviolet radiation will lead to inevitable death.

So what is the real biological effect of ultraviolet rays, what are the benefits and is there any harm from ultraviolet radiation for humans?

The effect of ultraviolet rays on the human body

The most insidious ultraviolet radiation is short-wave ultraviolet radiation, since it destroys all types of protein molecules.

So why is terrestrial life possible and continuing on our planet? What layer of the atmosphere blocks harmful ultraviolet rays?

Living organisms are protected from hard ultraviolet radiation by the ozone layers of the stratosphere, which completely absorb rays in this range, and they simply do not reach the surface of the Earth.

Therefore, 95% of the total mass of solar ultraviolet comes from long waves (A), and approximately 5% from medium waves (B). But it’s important to clarify here. Despite the fact that there are many more long UV waves and they have great penetrating power, affecting the reticular and papillary layers of the skin, it is the 5% of medium waves that cannot penetrate beyond the epidermis that have the greatest biological impact.

It is mid-range ultraviolet radiation that intensively affects the skin, eyes, and also actively affects the functioning of the endocrine, central nervous and immune systems.

On the one hand, ultraviolet irradiation can cause:

• severe sunburn of the skin - ultraviolet erythema;
• clouding of the lens leading to blindness - cataracts;
• skin cancer – melanoma.

In addition, ultraviolet rays have a mutagenic effect and cause disruptions in the functioning of the immune system, which cause the occurrence of other oncological pathologies.

On the other hand, it is the effect of ultraviolet radiation that has a significant impact on the metabolic processes occurring in the human body as a whole. The synthesis of melatonin and serotonin increases, the level of which has a positive effect on the functioning of the endocrine and central nervous systems. Ultraviolet light activates the production of vitamin D, which is the main component for the absorption of calcium, and also prevents the development of rickets and osteoporosis.

Ultraviolet irradiation of the skin

Skin lesions can be both structural and functional in nature, which, in turn, can be divided into:

1. Acute injuries– arise due to high doses of solar radiation from mid-range rays received in a short time. These include acute photodermatosis and erythema.
2. Delayed damage– occur against the background of prolonged irradiation with long-wave ultraviolet rays, the intensity of which, by the way, does not depend on the time of year or the time of daylight. These include chronic photodermatitis, photoaging of the skin or solar geroderma, ultraviolet mutagenesis and the occurrence of neoplasms: melanoma, squamous cell and basal cell skin cancer. Among the list of delayed injuries is herpes.

It is important to note that both acute and delayed damage can be caused by excessive exposure to artificial sunbathing, not wearing sunglasses, as well as by visiting solariums that use uncertified equipment and/or do not carry out special preventive calibration of ultraviolet lamps.

Skin protection from ultraviolet radiation

If you do not abuse any “sunbathing”, then human body will cope with radiation protection on its own, because more than 20% is retained by healthy epidermis. Today, protection from ultraviolet radiation of the skin comes down to the following techniques that minimize the risk of the formation of malignant neoplasms:

• limiting time spent in the sun, especially during midday summer hours;
• wearing light but closed clothing, because to receive the necessary dose that stimulates the production of vitamin D, it is not at all necessary to cover yourself with a tan;
• selection of sunscreens depending on the specific ultraviolet index characteristic of the area, time of year and day, as well as your own skin type.

Attention! For indigenous people middle zone In Russia, a UV index above 8 not only requires the use of active protection, but also poses a real threat to health. Radiation measurements and solar indices forecasts can be found on leading weather websites.

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation on the eyes

Damage to the structure of the eye cornea and lens (electro-ophthalmia) is possible with visual contact with any source of ultraviolet radiation. Despite the fact that a healthy cornea does not transmit and reflects 70% of hard ultraviolet radiation, there are many reasons that can become a source of serious diseases. Among them:

• unprotected observation of flares, solar eclipses;
• a casual glance at a star on the sea coast or in high mountains;
• photo injury from camera flash;
• work supervision welding machine or neglect of safety precautions (lack of a protective helmet) when working with it;
• long-term operation of the strobe light in discos;
• violation of the rules for visiting a solarium;
• long-term stay in a room in which quartz bactericidal ozone lamps operate.

What are the first signs of electroophthalmia? Clinical symptoms, namely redness of the eye sclera and eyelids, pain when moving the eyeballs and the sensation of a foreign body in the eye, as a rule, occur 5-10 hours after the above circumstances. However, means of protection against ultraviolet radiation are available to everyone, because even ordinary glass lenses do not transmit most UV rays.

The use of safety glasses with a special photochromic coating on the lenses, the so-called “chameleon glasses,” will be the best “household” option for eye protection. You won't have to worry about wondering what color and shade level of UV filter actually provides effective protection in specific circumstances.

And of course, if you expect eye contact with ultraviolet flashes, it is necessary to wear protective glasses in advance or use other devices that block rays harmful to the cornea and lens.

Application of ultraviolet radiation in medicine

Ultraviolet light kills fungus and other microbes in the air and on the surface of walls, ceilings, floors and objects, and after exposure to special lamps, mold is removed. People use this bactericidal property of ultraviolet light to ensure the sterility of manipulation and surgical rooms. But ultraviolet radiation in medicine is used not only to combat hospital-acquired infections.

The properties of ultraviolet radiation have found their application in a wide variety of diseases. At the same time, new techniques are emerging and constantly being improved. For example, ultraviolet blood irradiation, invented about 50 years ago, was initially used to suppress the growth of bacteria in the blood during sepsis, severe pneumonia, extensive purulent wounds and other purulent-septic pathologies.

Today, ultraviolet irradiation of blood or blood purification helps fight acute poisoning, drug overdose, furunculosis, destructive pancreatitis, obliterating atherosclerosis, ischemia, cerebral atherosclerosis, alcoholism, drug addiction, acute mental disorders and many other diseases, the list of which is constantly expanding. .

Diseases for which the use of ultraviolet radiation is indicated, and when any procedure with UV rays is harmful:

In order to live without pain, people with joint damage will benefit from an ultraviolet lamp as an invaluable aid in general complex therapy.

The influence of ultraviolet radiation in rheumatoid arthritis and arthrosis, the combination of ultraviolet therapy techniques with the correct selection of biodose and a competent antibiotic regimen is a 100% guarantee of achieving a systemic health effect with a minimal drug load.

In conclusion, we note that the positive effect of ultraviolet radiation on the body and just one single procedure of ultraviolet irradiation (purification) of the blood + 2 sessions in a solarium will help a healthy person look and feel 10 years younger.

We all love summer with its bright colors, vacations, beaches and sunshine. And an indispensable attribute summer season is a tan that many of us strive to get in every possible way. People often talk about the beauty of a tan, but for some reason, rarely does anyone remember what a tan is and how it appears on the skin.

Tanning is not at all a desire for the skin to look beautiful, but on the contrary, a natural reaction to ultraviolet radiation, which is perceived by skin cells as a harmful effect.

Lately you can often hear talk about how tanning is harmful. But this is not entirely true: it is not the tan that is harmful, but the ultraviolet radiation, which contributes to its appearance.

The thinner and more delicate the skin, the worse it perceives ultraviolet rays, so there is nothing strange in the fact that the most harmful is the effect of sunlight on the skin of the face.

How to be? Are Eastern women really right in their desire to completely protect themselves from the sun’s rays, using everything possible ways, including special umbrellas?

In this case, as in many others, it is important to be able to find a middle ground, because it will not be possible to completely close ourselves off from the sun, no matter how hard we try. And this is not necessary, since the sun's rays are a source of vitamin D, which is necessary in moderation for both the skin and the body as a whole. Learn to be friends with the sun and its rays, and then you will not be afraid of either vitamin deficiency or the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

Is ultraviolet harmful?

However, before you understand how to get along with the sun's rays friendly relations, it is necessary to decide what kind of harm ultraviolet radiation causes.

First of all, ultraviolet radiation in excessive doses poses a risk of skin tumors, which can be dangerous to health and life.

It is necessary to take into account that our skin “remembers” every vacation and accumulates all the ultraviolet radiation received by a person since childhood. Each of our new tans is an increase in the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, which consists in the destruction of skin cells.

Again, we are not talking about completely abandoning sunbathing. The interaction of the human body with the sun is natural. Excessive tanning is unnatural.

But ultraviolet radiation is harmful not only to health. The sun's rays only improve at first glance appearance facial skin, contributing to the appearance of tanning. In fact, ultraviolet rays are the first enemy of youthful skin.

It is ultraviolet radiation that has a harmful effect on the skin, which leads to the appearance of wrinkles. Of course, there are other factors that influence skin aging, but excessive sunbathing is a sure way to early aging of the facial skin.

Under the influence of sunlight, the skin becomes dry and thin, and an insufficient amount of moisture immediately affects the elasticity of the skin and leads to the formation of wrinkles.

Ultraviolet protection: doctors' opinion!

Do you want to always remain beautiful and healthy? Then remember a few rules that will protect your skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

For those who are not going to give up a beautiful tan, doctors recommend sunbathing before 10.00 or after 16.00. At this time, the sun's rays are not yet highly active, but can already contribute to the appearance of a tan.

Some doctors also advise sunbathing lovers to go to the beach early in the morning. It is believed that exposing the skin to sunlight at this time of day provides protection from the harmful ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun during the day.

But the problem does not end there. The sun is not a lamp that can be turned on when visiting the beach and turned off when you no longer want to sunbathe. This celestial body is active at any time of the day.

In addition, facial skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation at any time of the year, not just in summer.

At first glance, it seems that with the arrival of autumn and until late spring, the sun's rays do not affect the skin. This misconception is due to the fact that we associate tanning only with hot days and scorching sun rays. But in fact, it has long been proven that you can tan and even burn in the shade, and the sun's rays have a detrimental effect on the skin of the face even in winter.

Here you can’t calculate the optimal time to go outside, and you have to think about daily protection of your face from the sun’s rays. In this case, special cosmetics that contain SPF factor come to the rescue.

In addition to protecting the skin from the sun, such products can also perform other functions, for example, moisturizing or toning the skin of the face. And their choice should come down to determining the sun protection factor you need.

But, first of all, it is necessary to take into account that sunscreens for the face have an SPF factor higher than that indicated on the packaging of similar products for the body skin. This is due to the fact that facial skin needs more intense protection. Protect your facial skin from large amounts of ultraviolet radiation, and you will preserve youth and beauty for many years.

Ultraviolet rays have the greatest biological activity. If consider natural conditions, then the sun is considered the most powerful storehouse of such rays. Only the long-wavelength part touches the earth's surface, while the short-wavelength part is absorbed by the atmosphere. In addition to natural sources, there are artificial ones, the radiation of which can be exposed involuntarily or for the purpose of treatment.

general characteristics

Ultraviolet radiation is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths from ten to four hundred nm. Their emission, as well as absorption, is carried out by various energy quanta. In medicine, rays with a length of 180-400 nm are used. In addition, ultraviolet radiation has separate spectra, having medicinal properties, For example:

• A – from 315 to 400 nm;
• B – from 280 to 315 nm;
• C – from 180 to 280 nm.

Spectrum A and B are classified as long-wave rays, namely DUV; as for group C, it is considered short-wave rays - KUV.

UV radiation has a specific photochemical activity, which is actively and successfully used in medicine, as well as in production. Irradiation is used in the process of bleaching fabrics, synthesizing specific substances, obtaining vitamin D, producing patent leather, as well as various industrial manipulations. It is important to take into account that radiation has unique properties, namely the ability to organize luminescence.

Ultraviolet radiation affects the following types of workers:

• medical personnel;
• welders;
• technical workers;
• in the process of water sterilization, as well as photocopying;
• during melting and casting of metals;
• in the production of radio tubes.

It is important! Ultraviolet rays can change the chemical structure of cells and tissues.

Main sources of radiation

Ultraviolet radiation has some sources, namely natural and artificial. As for the natural source, it includes sunlight, stars, space objects and nebulae. The long-wave part reaches the earth. The main natural source is the sun. The group of people who are exposed to sunlight for a long time is most exposed.

Artificial sources that affect people are divided into several main subgroups:

Industrial welding arc

The main source of UVR exposure is considered to be the energy of equipment for a given design. UV radiation is quite high. Causes serious damage to the skin and eyes after 3-10 minutes of exposure. Such an influence is possible when located several meters from the welding. That is why a worker who welds is required to have special protection for the skin and eyes.

Black light

An artificial source of UV radiation. This is a specific lamp that produces ultraviolet energy. They are mainly used for testing fluorescent powders using a destructive method to determine the authenticity of documents, banknotes, etc. When exposed to the human body, they do not cause significant harm.

Work and industrial lamps

UVR lamps – work, industrial. There are many manufacturing processes that use this lamp. For example: photochemical method of fixing plastics, inks, paints. Human exposure is minimal due to shielding.

Germicidal lamp

Radiation source – UVR bactericidal lamp. In this situation, there is UV radiation, the wavelength of which is in the range from 250 to 265 nm, which is suitable for disinfection and sterilization. Their use is very successful in medical institutions whose goal is to combat tuberculosis. It is important to install such a lamp correctly and also use eye protection.

Cosmetic tan

If a person uses artificial tanning services, then a special tanning bed can affect the skin's exposure to UV radiation. In addition, workers in such salons are constantly exposed to low-frequency ultraviolet radiation.

Lighting

In factories, homes and offices, fluorescent lamps are widely used, which are a storehouse of a small portion of UV radiation.

As you can see, a person is exposed to radiation not only at work, but also at home.

Medical use

Ultraviolet radiation is widely used in modern medicine. This is due to the fact that UV rays are able to have an analgesic effect and reduce increased excitability. The properties of the radiation are so unique that thanks to them it is possible to achieve antirachitic as well as antispastic effects. Under its influence, the formation of vitamin D is observed. In the human body, the oxidation process intensifies, tissues absorb more oxygen, which promotes the release of carbon dioxide. UV radiation causes activation of enzymes, improvement of carbohydrate and protein metabolism, and increase in the level of phosphates and calcium in the blood.

When used correctly, the following processes occur:

• increasing body tone;
• vasodilation;
• decreased blood pressure;
• improving blood circulation;
• regenerative processes occur.

The use of UV radiation in medicine is based on providing a desensitizing, anti-inflammatory effect, which causes significant improvements.

Using a set of measures, UV irradiation is carried out for therapeutic purposes:

• for skin diseases;
• rickets;
• tuberculosis of joints, bones, and lymph nodes;
• frostbite, burns;
• diseases of the peripheral nervous system;
• fibrous tuberculosis;
• healing of injuries;
• purulent wounds.

It is important to consider the existing contraindications to this procedure:

• rapid exhaustion of the body;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• malignant tumors;
• kidney disease;
• active stage of pulmonary tuberculosis;
• disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system.

You should remember the temperature of the radiation, as this is very important. The body enters the generation process when the temperature of UV radiation reaches 1200 degrees.

Negative effects of UV

UV irradiation over a long period of time has a negative impact on human health, as it provokes the development of pathologies. If the radiation exposure is significant, the following symptoms appear:

• lethargy and apathy, fatigue;
• migraine;
• memory impairment;
• increased drowsiness;
• lack of appetite.

Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause:

• burns;
• dermatitis;
• swelling and itching;
• hemolysis;
• hypercalcemia;
• high body temperature;
• weakness and depression;
• developmental delay, etc.

It is important! Remember that any dermatitis can provoke the development of cancer.

To avoid negative consequences, you need to provide yourself with special protection. On manufacturing enterprises It is worth using helmets, shields and goggles, insulating screens, special clothing, and a portable screen. As for living conditions, it is advisable to use sunscreen, spray or lotion, and also wear glasses with tinted lenses.