The Scientific Mystery of Sterilization: From Principles to Applications
2025-08-13
The science mystery of ultraviolet sterilization: from principle to application
Ultraviolet is used widely in the field of medical and water treatment with its unique sterilization ability. This passage will explore the main reasons of ultraviolet sterilization and reveal the scientific principles behind it combined with relevant materials,and its application in real life.
01
The principle and application of ultraviolet sterilization
Ultraviolet sterilization mainly use ultraviolet light at a specific wavelength inducing the structure change of DNA, thus achieving the effect of kill microbes. Ultraviolet sterilization with 260nm wavelength has the best sterilization effects. It corresponds to the absorption spectrum of DNA. The sterilization principle is that ultraviolet interferes the normal double-stranded structure of DNA, causing mutations or cell death.
In practical application,ultraviolet is mainly used in air sterilization,surface sterilization and mutation breeding. For example, ultraviolet light is widely used in air disinfection in operating room, sterile room and other places. In addition,ultraviolet also supplies effective disinfection methods for appliances that cannot be disinfected with heat or chemicals. In microbial breeding, ultraviolet light can cause some characteristics or traits of microorganisms to change.
02
The application of ultraviolet disinfection and key points to note
Ultraviolet disinfection is a effective sterilization method. Mechanism of sterilization mainly includes damaging the DNA and protein of microorganisms and reducing their oxidase activity. When using ultraviolet to disinfect, special attention should be paid to the operation method and safety protection.
A series of operational precautions should be followed when ultraviolet disinfection is carried out :
1. Adjust the lamp power, disinfection time and effective distance according to the object (air or articles) to be disinfected.
2. Clean the lamp tube regularly to ensure the disinfection effect.
3. Avoid direct ultraviolet radiation to the human body to prevent eye inflammation, dermatitis or poisoning.
4. Control the appropriate temperature and humidity for disinfection.
03
The advantages of ultraviolet disinfection and broad application prospect
Nowadays, ultraviolet disinfection shows broad application prospects in water treatment field through its unique sterilization principle and significant advantages.
The sterilization principle is based on the absorption of ultraviolet light by nucleic acid,which destroys the structure of nucleic acid in microbial cells and leads to the loss of physiological activity and death. This sterilization way is not only with effective sterilization effect, but no secondary pollution to water quality and environment. The advantages of ultraviolet disinfection are obvious, including but not limited to high efficiency sterilization, safe and reliable, no harmful products, small footprint and low operation and maintenance costs.
In Europe and North America, ultraviolet disinfection technology has been widely used in the disinfection of waste water and drinking water. With the development of technology and in-depth research, ultraviolet disinfection will have a better and better application prospect in the field of drinking water disinfection.