A lot of recent debate brings up how harmful UV rays can be for humans, what with the massive changes in the environment and the development of new technology. But ultraviolet isn’t necessarily the bad guy; it’s how we use it.
With the right tools and proper handling, ultraviolet has been able to change different aspects of life for the better.
Good to be UV
Among the many ways that ultraviolet can be used is by incorporating it into machines that make jobs smoother and more efficient. For instance, a high-quality large-format UV flatbed printer can make a printing project more manageable and yield better results. This works for both large-scale commercial jobs and even smaller personal projects.
Using ultraviolet light and ink, the prints dry quicker with a more durable and dense ink, which can be printed on a wide array of materials besides paper such as PVC, acrylic, canvas, wood, textiles, and even metal. This advancement makes massive strides with what you can do with marketing or sign making.
And this is just one of the uses for ultraviolet light, with science and medical fields using it for their own purposes as well. Hospitals use UV lamps as a form of sterilization. This works by putting the necessary items such as surgical equipment under and having the light kill any bacteria that may form. It is also used in operating rooms to ensure that the air inside remains sterile. A version of these lamps is also used on patients with vitamin D deficiencies, as a specific form of ultraviolet can be good for vitamin production and alleviating certain skin problems in controlled doses.
While most people are advised to wear sunscreen to protect themselves from the harmful effects, those who need the benefits that sunlight can bring can receive these doses that can help improve their condition. Dentists also use a minor UV light device to harden certain types of dental filling. In the labs, scientists have been using UV as a means to create new antivirus components because of its ability to inactivate microbes.
In the rest of our day to day activities, we see more uses of UV than we even notice these days. The insect repellent lamps that you see in establishments are actually making use of UV light to attract the insects to the device and then electrocuting them on the high-voltage wires within the lamp. When we go to the bank, the way they ensure the legitimacy of money is by detecting whether or not the notes have been forged via UV light.
At the end of the day, every resource can be either harmful or not, depending on how we decide to use it and how much of it we actually use. With UVA, UVB, and UVC, it all comes down to the methods that skilled professionals use in order to turn something that could be bad into something really good. It makes sense to appreciate the little things that make a big difference in our lives.