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The work and leisure environments
Published in Stephen Battersby, Clay's Handbook of Environmental Health, 2023
Jonathan Hayes, Stuart Wiggans
Welding is an occupation that provides many risks.103 In the context of optical radiation, welders, for example, should wear suitable goggles or a mask, and they must also ensure that any passers-by are not exposed to the ultraviolet radiation generated (in addition to other hazards). Specific eye protection including filters for welding operatives (to prevent arc eye) should conform to relevant British and European standards104 and the following.
Environmental Degradation as a Multifaceted Consequence of Human Development
Published in Rouf Ahmad Bhat, Moonisa Aslam Dervash, Khalid Rehman Hakeem, Khalid Zaffar Masoodi, Environmental Biotechnology, 2022
Zulaykha Khurshid Dijoo, Rizwana Khurshid
Ozone layer protects the planet from dangerous ultraviolet radiations coming from the sun. The presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlo-rofluorocarbons in the atmosphere is triggering the ozone layer depletion, due to which more destructive rays comeback to the earth (Buhaug et al., 2010; Raven et al., 1998). There are accounts of ozone depletion above Antarctica letting hazardous ultraviolet radiations to Earth. Overexposure to these radiations causes skin cancer and cataracts.
Sterility in the Biochemical Industries
Published in Debabrata Das, Soumya Pandit, Industrial Biotechnology, 2021
Physical methods of sterilization deal with the destruction or removal of all viable microorganisms and their spores using heat, radiation and filtration. Dry heat requires higher temperatures (160–180 ˚C) and requires exposure times of 2 h, depending upon the operating temperature. Moist heat sterilization is found to be more effective as compared to dry heat which involves the use of wet steam in the range of 121–140˚C. High steam pressure is used to generate the high temperature needed for sterilization. Sterilization can also be done using electromagnetic radiation such as electron beams, X-rays, gamma rays, or irradiation by subatomic particles. Electromagnetic or particulate radiation is of two types: energetic enough to ionize atoms or molecules (ionizing radiation), and less energetic (non-ionizing radiation). Ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation is used for the non-ionic radiation for sterilization of solid surfaces and also some transparent objects. UV irradiation is routinely considered to sterilize the interiors of biological safety cabinets, operation theatres etc. Gamma radiation is considered for ionizing radiation sterilization and is commonly used for sterilization of disposable medical equipment, such as syringes, needles and food. It is emitted by radioisotopes.
Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 surrogate inactivation on surfaces and in air using UV and blue light-based intervention technologies
Published in Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2023
Dilpreet Singh, Anand R. Soorneedi, Nachiket Vaze, Ron Domitrovic, Frank Sharp, Douglas Lindsey, Annette Rohr, Matthew D. Moore, Petros Koutrakis, Ed Nardell, Philip Demokritou
To this effect, Ultraviolet (UV) light technology for disinfection purposes, also known as GUV (germicidal UV) has been utilized for sterilizing medical equipment, indoor microenvironments, as well as in the food and the water industry to inactivate microorganisms. UV acts primarily by producing DNA damage that the cell cannot overcome (Darnell et al. 2004; Stein et al. 1989). UV can also induce intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (Reshi, Su, and Hong 2014), which have deleterious effects on the cell. The several types of UV utilized are Mercury-based lamps, light-emitting diodes (UV-C LED) and pulsed-xenon lamps that emit UV light across the entire UV spectrum with a peak emission near 230 nm (Mackenzie 2020). These UV systems have been shown to be effective against pathogens both on surfaces and in air (Reed 2010).
Envisioning a sustainable future for space launches: a review of current research and policy
Published in Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 2023
Tyler F. M. Brown, Michele T. Bannister, Laura E. Revell
The defining characteristic of the stratosphere, the region approximately 15–50 km above Earth’s surface, is the ozone layer. Almost all atmospheric ozone (approximately 90%) resides in the stratosphere. By absorbing shortwave and high-energy ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the ozone layer is integral to protecting life on Earth. It is also sensitive to human activities. Most notably, chlorofluorocarbons and halons emitted in the late twentieth century from their use in refrigeration, solvents and various other industrial activities, led to widespread ozone losses. By the early 1990s, global annual average ozone was 5% lower than the 1960–84 average (Salawitch et al. 2019). The most significant losses occur over the Antarctic during springtime (Farman et al. 1985), and are commonly known as the ‘ozone hole’.
Assessing the impact of lockdown in US, Italy and France– What are the changes in air quality?
Published in Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, 2020
Doraisamy Balasubramaniam, Chandramohan Kanmanipappa, Balraj Shankarlal, Manavalan Saravanan
Ozone acts as a shielding layer on topmost surface of earth by protecting the ultraviolet rays to enter the ground surface. In general ozone present in ground region is often referred as air pollutant and generated mostly due to radiation mechanism associated with other air toxic contaminants (Solomon 1999). Meteorological factors constitute the generation of several gases along with ozone which is major contributor for climate variation. In addition to meteorological factors some other factors may influence the formation of ozone gas which includes climate change, wind direction, wind speed and precipitation (Ashmore 2005). The cleanliness of atmosphere is mainly due to the presence of ozone in higher proportions. The tremendous growth in vehicle usage, industrial activity and generation of energy influence the climate variation contributing higher proportion of ozone gas in ground surface considered as green house gas. The troposphere layer was further degraded due to presence of NOx, SO2 and other organic compounds emitted due to anthropogenic sources (Wang 2018).