[Courtesy of LG Electronics]
Ultraviolet (UV) refers to electromagnetic radiation with wavelength ranging from 10 nanometers to 400 nanometers. About 10 percent of electromagnetic radiation released by the Sun consists of UV. UV lights were used for sterilization. Shortwave UV kills cells' DNA and at the same increases the risk of skin cancer. UV light, also known as black light, is produced by electric arcs and special lights including mercury lamps and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
LG Electronics said on Thursday that this year's sales of its high-end Dual-series air conditioners installed with UV light fans have increased by 15 percent compared to the same period last year. The company advertises that its Dual series air conditioners are effective in killing 99.9 percent of germs such as e-coli and staphylococcus aureus.
Cuchen, a South Korean home appliance maker, saw an increase in sales of UV baby bottle sanitizers and kitchenware sanitizers. The company said sales of its home sanitizers in February increased 60 percent from a month ago.
Pocket-sized UV lamps are also popular in online shopping malls. The lamps are favored by consumers who seek to sterilize their face masks. Because face masks using melt-blown (MB) filters to catch fine particles lose their ability when washed, UV light helps consumers manage their masks germ-free.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has yet to set standards for consumers using UV to sterilize their face masks. However, ministry guidelines on UV kitchenware sanitizers suggest that cutlery and dishes must be completely dried before receiving a UV light shower for at least 40 minutes using a 10-watt UV lamp to kill 99.9 percent of germs.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
