# UV light prevention



## dodidoki (Feb 12, 2013)

Has anyone experience with germicid lamps for prevention bacterial or fungal diseases? These lamps produce O3 (ozone) and effective against bacteria, fungi even sporas. My question is: have these lamps any bad side effect on plants?


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## labskaus (Feb 12, 2013)

These lights ( I know them in a microbiological work bench) are effective against microorganisms. Skin tissue burns within seconds upon exposure as well. I can't imagine they won't effect plant tissue the same way (severe burn). Plus, I wouldn't like to have increased ozone concentrations in my house or anywhere else without a sufficient ventilation.


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## dodidoki (Feb 12, 2013)

labskaus said:


> These lights ( I know them in a microbiological work bench) are effective against microorganisms. Skin tissue burns within seconds upon exposure as well. I can't imagine they won't effect plant tissue the same way (severe burn). Plus, I wouldn't like to have increased ozone concentrations in my house or anywhere else without a sufficient ventilation.



Not for continous work of course, only few minutes/hour. Antimicrobal component is O3, so I don't want to light my plants with UV tube, so direct burn is impossible. But I don't know how about is O3 with plants?


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## wjs2nd (Feb 12, 2013)

You can find O3 generators. They're used to keep smoking areas (cigerettes and cigars) smoke free/not smelling of smoke.

However, O3 will have effects! It is a good idea to read about what high levels of O3 does (headaches for one).


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## Ray (Feb 12, 2013)

The only germicidal UV lamps I cam familiar with kill by exposing the creatures to the UV, not by generating ozone. Why would a UV lamp in air create ozone, or enough ozone to do any good?


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## gonewild (Feb 12, 2013)

Do you want to kill all microbes on your plants? Even the beneficial ones?


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## Marc (Feb 12, 2013)

Ray said:


> The only germicidal UV lamps I cam familiar with kill by exposing the creatures to the UV, not by generating ozone. Why would a UV lamp in air create ozone, or enough ozone to do any good?



That's what I thought, as far as I knew Ozone can be created by an electric discharge in the air. 

But when searching through google I came across the following:

http://www.ozoneapplications.com/products/Residential/q&a_ozone.htm



> HOW IS OZONE PRODUCED?
> 
> There are basically two methods of producing ozone...ultra-violet and corona discharge. Corona discharge creates ozone by applying high voltage to a metallic grid sandwiched between two dielectrics. The high voltage jumps through the dielectric to a grounded screen and in the process, creates ozone from oxygen present in the chamber. Ultra-violet (UV) light creates ozone when a wavelength at 254 nm (nanometers) hits an oxygen atom. The molecule (O2) splits into two atoms (O), which combine with another oxygen molecule (O2) to form ozone (O3).


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## dodidoki (Feb 12, 2013)

Ray said:


> The only germicidal UV lamps I cam familiar with kill by exposing the creatures to the UV, not by generating ozone. Why would a UV lamp in air create ozone, or enough ozone to do any good?



Germicid lamps kills microorganism mainly not by direct DNA destruction only the near envirionment of lamp, but by indirect way, generating O3. Usually one 36 W tube is enough to keep sterile a smaller operating room ( works only out of operating time, of course).


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## dodidoki (Feb 12, 2013)

gonewild said:


> Do you want to kill all microbes on your plants? Even the beneficial ones?



Not, of course. I have not this lamp, I only think about it. Maybe it could be very useful near the humidifier, keep the moist sterile. Many of bacterial rot can spread by water.

Or it can be useful for sterilisation of water without any chemicals.


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## wjs2nd (Feb 12, 2013)

They sell incased UV lights for camping to sterilize water. 

Again, I will repeat that to much O3 in a room can make you sick/feel sick. I would be very careful with generating O3 (ozone).


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## cnycharles (Feb 12, 2013)

if you want to sterilize water, there are aquarium and larger water purifiers that can be directly hooked into water supply or filtration systems. often used for horticultural applications where water is scarce and returning used water needs to be disinfected. they also use the lamps to purify things like apple cider without pasteurization which would change the flavor

i believe in the 70s and 80s I saw films about ozone effects on plants in nature where smog/ozone levels were high, and also when there often are heat advisories there are also warnings by the weather people about ozone levels, that would negatively affect those with breathing problems


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## Ozpaph (Feb 13, 2013)

Of course exposing yourself or loved ones to UV would be dangerous.


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## gonewild (Feb 13, 2013)

Ozpaph said:


> Of course exposing yourself or loved ones to UV would be dangerous.



But you look pretty with a golden tan.


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## Ozpaph (Feb 14, 2013)

until you get black spots (melanoma)


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