Ultraviolet Radiation
Ultraviolet Radiation
Everything that is present in this world has advantages as well as disadvantages. Take an example of a knife, it can cut vegetables and it can cut your finger too. The advantage of anything can be received if it is used with care. If one is not careful, he might end up hurting himself. Same is the case with the rays of sunlight that are called UV or ultraviolet rays. Some of them are beneficial as they produce Vitamin A which can be used to treat diseases like rickets, eczema, jaundice and psoriasis. The other side of picture is not so good as if this sunlight is absorbed for a longer time then it is bad too. There are three divisions of ultraviolet rays, UVA, UVB and UVC. All these rays are extremely harmful and none of them is safe. The effects of UV radiation on the environment are also as bad as they are on humans. The major effects are on marine life.
There are two sources of this radiation; one is from the sunlight and the other one is laboratory UV ray. The use of Ultraviolet Radiation is becoming quite common in biomedical and microbiological researches and laboratories. It is important to protect yourself from direct contact of UV rays like either by wearing a hat, sunglasses or sun block. It can cause serious problems for eyes and skin. The UVA can be so serious that it can cause skin cancer. The UVB radiation increases in summers and causes sunburns and skin cancers too. The most harmful is the UVC; it is absorbed by ozone layer before reaching the earth’s surface. Due to this reason, the amount of ultraviolet radiation is increasing day by day and becoming a threat.
Who Should Be More Cautious In Sunlight?
The people having many moles, irregular moles or large moles should be extremely careful while exposing themselves to sun. People who have undergone skin cancer treatments or people having a family history of skin cancer. People with fair skin, blond, red or light brown hair should also be careful while going out in sunlight. If such people go outside, they should cover their head or hair, should wear sunglasses and should not wear such clothes that expose body or should apply sun blocks.
It is important to keep your eye protected when working with the UV light in the laboratory as the UV rays are concentrated and even exposure for a short span can be a big damage. There are special equipments to be used while working with lab Uv light i.e. Personal Protective Equipment PPE that includes gloves, face shields, full sleeves lab coats. The gloves that are recommended are nitrile gloves, the latex glove can also be used but if to be used at the same time.
DNA affects uv radiation in this way that when it reaches the DNA cell of skin cells and so the skin cancer develops when the DNA of genes are damaged.
Besides sun, another source of UV radiation is tanning booth.
People with light skins are at risk of skin cancers.
