How Does UV Work as a Deodorizer?
The mercury arc produces a much weaker line at the wavelength of 185nm. This emission is not directly harmful to micro-organisms, but it is capable of producing ozone, O3, an allotrope of oxygen, in air. Ozone is extremely active chemically and will destroy micro-organisms and VOC’s and act as a deodorizer. An advantage is that it can be carried by air to places that the UV rays cannot reach directly. Lamp ozone production depends upon the type of quartz used. Voltarc lamps designated “L” use ozone-free quartz and produce no ozone, while lamps designated “VH” have a very high ozone-producing output due to the nature of the quartz used.
