Ultraviolet Lamps
Ultraviolet lamps, or UV lamps, are devices used for the exposure and/or illumination of materials (or workspaces) with ultraviolet light in the lab and across many other industrial, agricultural and clinical working environments. UV lamps are available as lightweight, hand-held or portable models, and as more robust stand-alone benchtop units. Different models may be battery powered (often rechargeable) or mains plug-in. UV lamps may also be installed as fittings or as optional extras into larger items of equipment such laboratory safety cabinets, ovens, incubators or sterilisation units.
UV lamps differ by their power output (intensity) and their wavelengths. Some simple, general purpose lamps deliver just a single wavelength of UV light, other more sophisticated models are multi-wavelength lamps capable of emitting selectable longwave (UV-A, 315 to 400nm), midrange (UV-B, 280 to 315nm) or shortwave (UV-C, 100 to 280nm) radiation, or a simultaneous combination of all three. Some UV lamps also deliver white light for convenience. Most UV lamps are fitted with replaceable tubes and come with safety screens, covers or visors to protect the user.
What are UV lamps used for?
- For UV sterilisation inside biosafety cabinets and laminar hoods
- Contamination control and germicidal treatment of materials, water, air and surfaces in clinical environments, food processing, industrial cosmetics and electronics production
- Fluorescent transillumination of gels after electrophoresis, especially stained DNA
- Examination of TLC plate separations
- Photoactive crosslinking
- Industrial photochemical curing of resins, coatings and other materials
- Industrial inspection and QC
- Forensic work
- Education, demonstration and display