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Ultraviolet light can kill almost all the viruses in a room. Why isn’t it everywhere? (www.vox.com)

submitted 10 months ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Ultraviolet light can kill almost all the viruses in a room. Why isn’t it everywhere?::Can special lightbulbs end the next pandemic before it starts?

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[–] BakerBagel@midwest.social 5 points 10 months ago (2 children)

It forms radicals which will self perpetuate. A machine constantly putting out even small quantities of ozone is going to fuck you up sooner rather than later.

[–] Cihta@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Can you elaborate a little more? I used to have an ozone generator but, and it's been a long time, it seemed that at useful levels it would be dangerous but what are "small quantities"? I have however found them useful to be used at high power for a short time to clear a car or house of smoke of pet odor (unoccupied of course).

I use the pool ones to keep water tanks sterile with an ORP meter for control and that seems to work well but it is extremely corrosive. It breaks down really fast though so I don't think it's causing any harm... Is it?

[–] BakerBagel@midwest.social 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The EPA is pretty adamant that there are no health benefits to ozone machines, and plenty of potential drawbacks. . Ozone breaks down fast because it is highly volatile and is just ask likely to react with tissues in your lungs as whatever you want to clean out of the air.

[–] Cihta@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Thanks for reply but yeah we are in agreement. That's why I quit using it like 2 decades ago. If it can destroy organic matter that obviously includes ours.

I was just curious on the quantity thing. A general air blown ozone generator will not hurt if at low power. It obviously won't provide any benefits either. But for water it's useful so was curious if you knew something i didn't.

On topic - a powerful UV lamp (not something you'd want to hit your eyes) in your central AC is still very useful. Airborne stuff, mold spores, etc. at a minimum it keeps the coils clean.

[–] JustZ@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I run the ozone machine for a half hour or an hour here and there, when nobody is around, and in spaces that are well ventilated afterward. What sort of radicals?

[–] BakerBagel@midwest.social 4 points 10 months ago

Radicals are atoms with a missing electron. Since most chemical reactions use pairs of electrons. Free radicals are atoms, typically oxygen, that have this missing electron. They are super reactive and will steal an electron from the first atom or molecule they can. That atom/molecule then goes and repeats the process, creating a chain of radicals that can mess up your tissues. Typically our body uses anti-oxidants to halt radical chains, but it is very intense and can only be done so much. That ozone machine has no benefits and loads of potential drawbacks.