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We don’t want to get sick at all, and even less want our children or loved ones to get sick. But how to protect yourself from viruses and bacteria? One of the well-known and effective ways to combat viruses is the treatment of premises with a quartz lamp. However, its use in residential premises is not effective. It is better and safer to use air decontaminators for home use.
Such disinfectants are available in several versions, and we will consider them, but first we will understand how quartz lamps work.
Principle of operation
The disinfecting effect of sunlight has long been noticed. After research, scientists determined that the ultraviolet (UV) part of the spectrum has a positive effect. To artificially create UV radiation, special lamps have been developed.
Ultraviolet also emits a spiral of an ordinary household incandescent light bulb, but its intensity is low, moreover, the glass does not let through some of it. To obtain the required level of UV, a different principle is used, implemented in a mercury-quartz lamp.
An electrical discharge is created in a quartz flask with mercury vapor. The discharge causes the glow of mercury vapor, the main part of the radiation occurs in the ultraviolet range of 203–315 nm. UV rays are not retained by quartz and have a negative effect on pathogenic organisms in the external environment. There is a process of sterilizing the surface without heating and the use of disinfectants.
Hence the name quartz lamp came from, and the process of its work is quartzization. Another name for this process is ozonation. During quartzization, oxygen O2, which is contained in the air, under the influence of ultrashort radiation turns into ozone O3.
Irradiation affects the DNA structure not only of harmful microorganisms, but also of all living cells, including humans. If you are regularly exposed to such radiation, then there is a high risk of getting cancer. Therefore, during quartzing, precautions must be taken.
What is quartzing and why is it done
So, quartzization is the irradiation of a room with ultraviolet light to destroy viruses, bacteria and microbes. This method is more effective than cleaning with the use of special disinfectants. The fact is that during the operation of a quartz lamp, bacteria are destroyed not only on surfaces, furniture, floors and walls, but also in the air.
Ultraviolet quartz lamps are widely used in medicine. Disinfection of offices in medical institutions reduces the possibility of infection with diseases transmitted by airborne droplets. This is important, as patients often have reduced immunity.
It is necessary to quartz offices and wards in a hospital in compliance with the rules. For reliable destruction of pathogens, the operating time of the device should be 30-60 minutes. People, animals, and plants should not be in the room. After the session is over, the room must be ventilated to reduce the amount of ozone.
Antimicrobial treatment is carried out in preschool and school institutions. Quartz treatment will be especially effective in disinfecting basements from fungi, mold and insects.
With the development of technology, special ultraviolet lamps have appeared for the treatment of diseases in humans. These are some fungal skin lesions, as well as ENT diseases, for example, complicated otitis media, sinusitis, etc.
Ultraviolet lamps can be used to disinfect rooms at home.
In residential areas, quartzization or ozonation is not as effective, but it can be used in compliance with safety regulations. For safer antimicrobial treatment of rooms, special devices have been created.
Pros and cons of disinfectants
Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of using a quartz lamp for sanitizing premises. Let’s start with the advantages:
- Ease of use.
- Disinfection of surfaces without the use of special agents.
- Air sterilization.
Therefore, quartzization is widely used in operating rooms, procedural and other facilities with increased viral or bacteriological hazard. But only after the people left. This is an efficient and easy way. For disinfection of premises for the home, such treatment is unnecessary.
Now about the shortcomings:
- In residential areas with a long stay of people, the use is unnecessary.
- Only those surfaces on which the radiation hits are disinfected.
- High concentration of ozone in the room.
- Harmful radiation.
- The possibility of getting a retinal burn when the device is running.
It is unnecessary to use quartz lamps for disinfecting premises in a residential building or apartment.
Leaving the room for a long time makes quartzing at home ineffective. In addition, with the returned patient, microbes will also return. The best solution in this case would be a bactericidal recirculator. Of course, whether to use a quartz lamp at home, everyone decides for himself.
Disinfection of objects, clothes using quartz treatment is a rather controversial issue. Only surfaces are disinfected, folds, reverse side, etc. remain “infected”. Therefore, for home use, it is too potent. Ventilation has a similar effect, but does not have negative aspects.
Types of disinfectants
According to the type of exposure, bactericidal irradiators (BW) can be divided into four groups.
- Open irradiators.
- Closed.
- Combined.
- Medicinal.
These antibacterial devices can use different types of lamps: ozone or ozone-free.
The name ozone is associated with mercury-quartz lamps, since ozone is released during their operation. They are used in open BO used in medical institutions.
For ozone-free lamps, the flask is made of uviol glass – unlike quartz, it does not transmit ozone-forming radiation. During operation of the device, ozone is generated within acceptable limits, which allows the use of lamps in the presence of people. Given the safety, it is used in closed and combined recirculators, as well as medical devices.
Irradiators can be divided according to the type of construction:
- Wall mounted.
- Ceiling.
- Mobile.
Mobile devices are most suitable for quartzing at home. This makes it possible to move the device to different rooms.
Open
Open BOs include mercury-quartz lamps used to irradiate surfaces and indoor air with ultraviolet radiation. in the absence of people. Common in medical settings. Not very suitable for home use.
Closed
These are devices with one or more ultraviolet emitters covered with an opaque casing. The case is made in the form of a cylinder with a fan at the end. It drives the air inside the case where the air is irradiated with UV. This option is considered safer and can be used in the presence of a person.
These models can be found in the offices of clinics with a high level of viral and infectious diseases. If you need an antimicrobial unit, please select from this category.
Combined
The combined bactericidal quartzizer combines the capabilities of open-type devices with a closed one. The design of the device provides the ability to open and close the ultraviolet emitter using a shutter or door. When closed, it works as an air recirculator, and with the door open – how to disinfect surfaces.
Treatment
These are devices for the treatment or prevention of diseases of the skin and respiratory tract. It is used in medical institutions, as well as at home. An example of such a device is the OUFK-01-1M SOLNYSHKO quartz ultraviolet irradiator.
How to choose a disinfectant
When choosing a recirculator for your home, pay attention to several parameters. The main characteristic of household recirculators is performance. It shows how much air the device can handle per hour of operation.
For open quartz lamps, an important indicator is the area of the treated surface m2. Ideally, the area of the room should be the same as the area to be treated, or smaller.
Decide which device you need, stationary or mobile (mobile). Portable is more convenient in everyday life, they can be used to process several rooms.
If you need to disinfect not only the air, but also objects, it is better to choose a combined bactericidal recirculator.
If you need to choose a lamp with a conventional emitter, look for options with the following features:
- start delay;
- automatic shutdown;
- Motion Sensor.
The first two options will help to avoid exposure when turning on and off, and the third is useful if there are pets in the house or apartment.
When choosing an air decontaminator, pay attention to whether it has an air purification filter at the inlet. Otherwise, dust falling on the lamp, heating up, gives an unpleasant odor.
Be sure to look at the power of the emitters. There are two standard types of quartz lamps – 15W and 30W. They are easy to find and replace. Lamps with a different power are produced only for a specific model and it is difficult to find them. Considering that the resource of a quartz lamp is not unlimited, from 3000 to 10000 hours, this is important.
How to properly quartz a room
The rules for quartzing a room depend on the type of device used. For recirculators, you do not need to leave the room, unlike open irradiators.
Read the instructions before using any device.
- Before using an open type quartz lamp, make sure that there are no people or animals in the room.
- It is desirable to turn on and off the quartz lamp remotely or from another room. Pull the extension cord from the machine into another room, close the doors and turn on the power.
- Wait for the time needed for disinfection. The duration of quartzization depends on the volume of the room and the power of the emitter. To obtain a guaranteed result, it takes at least 30 minutes to use a quartz lamp at home. Please note – with open windows, quartzing does not make sense.
- After the procedure, turn off the lamp, let it cool for 15-20 minutes and open the windows for ventilation.
Popular Models
Here are a few examples of household quartz lamps that have good reviews.
- Ultraviolet quartz irradiator “Solnyshko-01”. These are devices for the treatment of ENT diseases. Produced in various modifications. Apply according to the doctor’s instructions.
Ultraviolet quartz irradiator Solnyshko-01 (OUFD-01) - Bactericidal devices “Dezar”. Basically, these are non-domestic devices with high power. However, the OBN-150-KRONT model is quite affordable and can be used at home.
- Bactericidal irradiator “Crystal”. There are two types – a recirculator and a quartz lamp “Crystal-BNB 01-11-001”.
Antibacterial irradiator Crystal BNB 01-11-001
Can I do it myself
It is quite possible to independently manufacture an analogue of a mercury-quartz lamp, but we will not recommend manufacturing. For the simple reason that it is dangerous to health.
Conclusion
A quartz lamp disinfector or recirculator is a good investment to keep your family healthy. The device will help reduce the risk of getting sick during seasonal flu outbreaks and especially during a pandemic.