222nm Far-UVC Light Cancer Risk From Unfiltered (KrCl) Krypton Far UV-C 222-nm Excimer Krypton Chloride Excilamps Hazards

These days, QuantaModule’s open-source Far-UVC lighting hardware is the latest rage among venture capitalists and technologists seeking to enter the Far-UVC light business to battle the virus. QuantaDose Far-UVC test card manufacture issues these entrepreneurs warnings on Far-UVC cancer risk from unfiltered Far UVC 222nm Excimer (KrCl) Krypton Chloride Excilamps.

 

SEMINOLE, FLA. APRIL 23, 2021

Quanta X Technology looks forward to the day everyone can walk around continuously surrounded by human-safe Far UV-C light.

Ideally, AP-UVGI using Far-UVC light would kill any aerosolized virus that entered the UV zone around you or exited your nose or mouth if you were infected. The light would also disinfect your skin before your hands spread germs to your face. This scenario is already popping up in businesses worldwide, including right here in the USA. Still, the health risks of unfiltered 222nm Far-UVC light are significant concerns that are not getting enough attention.

The most common way to manufacture Far–UVC 222 nm light is producing it by using high-frequency discharge excimer lamps filled with a mixture of noble gas molecule krypton (Kr) and normally less than 3% chloride (Cl) gas. These excited Kr/Cl emissions peaks of 222 nm from excimer lamps eliminate the use of hazardous materials like mercury and allow for near-instant full power operation in only seconds, as compared to several minutes with legacy UVGI mercury vapor UVC lamps.

Excimer frequency bands of EMR (Electro-magnetic Radiation) have repeatedly been found to be human-safe at between 207nm through 230nm wavelengths in a narrow 23nm slice of human safe Far-UVC light in an infinite electromagnetic spectrum, in which exciting KrCl molecules with high voltage electricity generates this healthy and safe 222nm peak.

Far-UVC light from excimer lamps is often marketed as having a Far-UVC 222nm wavelength necessary for AP-UVGI (Active Personnel Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation) Far UV lighting applications.

According to Katie Webb, CEO of Quanta X Technology, “What really needs to be understood is that an unfiltered 222nm Far-UV peak from any KrCl excimer lamp emits a wide band of wavelengths starting at 200nm, past the human safe zone of less than 230nm, all the way to the end of the UVC spectrum at 280nm — with a very worrisome second harmonic peak at 256nm.”

She added, “the 222nm excimer lamp’s second harmonic peak at 256nm exclusive to KrCl Far-UVC lights should be treated no different than the well-established carcinogenic hazards involved when using 254nm mercury-line UVC germicidal bulbs.”

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP): exposure limit of 23 mJ/cm2, or 0.000833 mW/cm2, for a continuous 8 hour period of Far-UV light exposure must be followed when designing any Far-UVC lighting application.

Far-UV lighting manufacturers have ramped up production by orders of magnitude since the pandemic. For quick estimates of time dosage relationships, QuantaDose offers an easy spreadsheet calculator tool to help AP-UVGI designers determine time allowance with a known power and distance to help figure out the time necessary to be effective UVGI and when the maximum levels of safe 222nm exposures are reached under current international standards. USA 22 mJ/cm2 EU 30 mJ/cm2

Download it here Excel Doc. (Far-uvc-light-222nm-irradiance-time-distance-power-calculation-tool)

Far-UV product offerings are in a few basic categories: It should be noted that a trained professional will be needed for any far-UVC light deployment, at the minimum for AP-UVGI assessment for lamp location, cycling, power, distance, time, and dosage limitations/requirements.

The Far UV light assessment for occupied spaces MUST always be performed by trained and certified AP-UVGI/UVGI professionals. Different levels of professional expertise are required depending on the category of product offering.

A professional assessment is always required for safe AP-UVGI and effective Far-UV deployment.

QuantaGuard 222nm Far-UVC Light Assembly Wattage Availability
5-Watt || 15-Watt || 20-Watt

QuantaGuard – Assembled Far UV Lamps Professional Expertise Required

• • AP-UVGI: Trained professionally for lamp location, cycling, power, distance, time, and dosage limitations/requirements
• Hanging: General hardware for wall or ceiling mounting included
• Wiring: Plug and Play Safe 24V input included
• Power supply: External 24 V Sealed. Like plugging in a laptop
• Ballast: Internal
• Filtering: 222nm Band-pass filter included shields >230 for AP-UVGI applications

QuantaModule 222nm Far-UVC Light Module Wattage Availability
5-Watt || 15-Watt || 20-Watt

QuantaModule – Semi-assembled Far-UV Modules Professional Expertise Required

• • AP-UVGI: Trained professionally for lamp location, cycling, power, distance, time, and dosage limitations/requirements

• Hanging: Requires outer housing fabrication, sensors, PCB, microcontroller, and other customization by designer.
• Wiring: Only by persons certified in high voltage wiring. Electrical engineer or electrician training required.
• Power supply: External 24 V sealed requires pigtail connectors at the light.
• Connectors: included pigtail connectors
• Ballast: External
• Filtering: 222nm Band-pass filter included shields >230 for AP-UVGI applications

QuantaBlubs 222nm Far-UVC Light Bulb Wattage Availability
5-Watt || 15-Watt || 20-Watt || 40-Watt || 60-Watt || 100-Watt || 150-Watt || 1000-Watt

QunataBulbs – Far UVC Bulbs Professional Expertise Required

• • AP-UVGI: Trained professionally for lamp location, cycling, power, distance, time, and dosage limitations/requirements

• • Hanging: Requires inner/outer housing fabrication, sensors, PCB, microcontroller, and other customization by designer.
  • Wiring: Preformed only by persons certified in high voltage wiring. Electrical engineer or electrician training required.
  • 24V DC Input: All 60w and below power supply: External sealed requires pigtail connectors at the light.
  • 110V AC Input: All 100w and above power supply: External unsealed requires wall-plug and pigtail connectors at the light.
  • Connectors: included pigtail connectors
  • Ballast: External
  • Filtering: None (Standard UVC Safety Precautions Must Be Taken)

 

Get Only Good Waves Eliminate Far UVC Cancer Risk With 222nm Band-Pass Filters

Ultraviolet (UV) light has been used effectively for line-of-sight sterilization of rooms, objects, and skin for over a century. Still, these higher energy photons can also cause severe sunburn and skin cancer. Fortunately, UVC light at 222nm is capable of sterilization without harming human skin, making it a safe and effective technology to combat bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19. Bandpass filters can be designed to transmit the desired UVC frequency while blocking the harmful wavelengths.

Research has shown that emissions at 222nm from a filtered excimer lamp can provide Far-UV sterilization without penetrating the skin’s basal layer. To prevent harm to people in the area of disinfection, in accordance with AP-UVGI, the Excimer KrCl longwave UVC emissions spectrum >230nm needs to be filtered to suppress the damaging peak at 256nm wavelength capable of dermal penetration. AP-UVGI safety can be achieved using suitably designed QuantaOptic 222-nm Far UVC bandpass filters that will block >230 -280nm.

Our QuantaOptic Far-UV bandpass filters can 60% transmission at 222nm and block longer wavelengths up to 280nm. Our QuantaOptic filters (210nm 220nm 222nm far UVC bandpass filter narrowband optical filter) can be supplied in custom sizes for integration into various lamp configurations.

Consumers need to understand which FAR-UVC lighting products still pose a health risk and how to make sure their Far-UVC light products are really human safe!

About Quanta X Technology

Founded in 2020, Quanta X Technology LLC is a world leader in FAR-UVC detection technology and non-pharmaceutical pandemic countermeasures that include new innovative Far-UV/UVC testing methods, Far-UV and Conventional UVC irradiation. The company’s mission is to create quality-of-life solutions by engaging in the research, design, manufacture, and sale of photon and proton management technologies designed to mitigate epidemics and pandemics.