Lighting for Human Health - Ultraviolet Lighting to purify the air in your home or office.

September 05 , 2005

For Immediate Release

Mid-South Entrepreneur Harnesses Ultraviolet Light to Destroy Airborne Viruses & Bacteria; Easy-to-Use Systems Available for Both Consumers & Business

Dangerously high ozone levels and threats of poor quality air often chase people indoors, particularly the young, elderly and those with breathing problems. But according to a Mid-South physicist-turned-entrepreneur, the most dangerous air may be indoors, which is why he has harnessed ultraviolet light technology to help make it safe.

George Preston is founder of Lighting for Human Health, a lighting equipment manufacturing company. He has combined his degree in physics with an MBA and spent the last 25 years working on the applications of lighting to health-related issues. His company has developed the Purifaire Antiviral System for consumer use and the Office Inoculation for commercial application. Both are designed to kill the pathogens which, when outside, are immediately destroyed by natural sunlight.

Indoors, it’s another story.

One sneeze can produce over 10 million microscopic particles. One cough can spew 100,000 droplets laden with bacteria and virus. Talking produces 10,000 particles. Some of these particles, such as the viruses, can remain indoors in the air for over 40 hours.

“It is estimated we spend 93% of our time indoors,” says Preston. “Pathogens in the air become especially critical when you are dealing with anyone who suffers from allergies, is immuno-compromised, such as cancer patients undergoing chemo- or radiation-therapy and HIV patients, small children, those with COPD, and so on. In businesses, hundreds of people are breathing the same air, and in an environment such as a physician’s waiting room, that can be significant.”

The systems developed by Lighting for Human Health are effective against all strains of influenza, staph, TB, smallpox, measles, mold and more. In a house, the Purifaire Antiviral System can be installed quickly with the air filter in a central air conditioning system. The special light bulb is changed annually and no other maintenance is required.

In high-risk environments such as waiting rooms, food preparation areas or schools, the Office Inoculation model requires installation of germicidal light fixtures at ceiling height.

Both of these systems destroy not just bacteria, but also viruses. And while there are other forms of air treatment technology, such as HEPA filters and electrostatic ionizers, Preston says their limitations are why he has pursued ultraviolet light.

“HEPA (high efficiency particulate air filtration) filters are costly, must be changed periodically, and are not effective against most viruses due to the size of particles,” says Preston. “Commercially, HEPA filters can require more powerful fans, resulting in increased noise, vibration, and cost.”

Another method is the electrostatic ionizer. “Ionizing air cleaners have virtually no effect on small microbes such as viruses or some bacteria,” says Preston. “Also, residential models have a limited air flow and do not treat enough air to have an impact. Additionally, this method can produce ozone, which can cause nausea, headache and burning of eyes, nose and throat. The very people who come indoors to escape ‘unhealthy air’ may unknowingly be breathing it inside their own homes.”

Preston’s system uses ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) to destroy pathogens, and also addresses the ozone issue. UVGI technology has been around since the early 1900s and has been used in everything from water treatment to toothbrush disinfection to air purification.

“UV is a short wavelength form of energy,” says Preston. “The critical part of the UV spectrum is the UV-C portion. The length of a wave of UC-C light is shorter than that of visible light. This wavelength penetrates the cell walls of bacteria and viruses and damages their DNA, destroying their ability to replicate which effectively kills them.

“Wavelengths of the very short end of the UV-C range can produce ozone, and some UV producing devices should be avoided indoors. However, filtered UV C, as used by our systems, filters the light emitted from the device and removes any hazard.”

Preston says the financial impact in the work environment can be tremendous. “More than 30% of common infections are transmitted person-to-person in the workplace. Studies have suggested that installation of this technology in most North American offices could resolve work-related symptoms in about four million employees.”

Preston added that this technology could play a major role in the fight against bioterrorism. “Diseases such as smallpox, TB, Legionnaires, Avian flu are all pathogens that can be destroyed with UVGI technology. And closer to home, simply keeping your family healthy by destroying germs, bacteria and viruses in the air is important. The Purifaire System and Office Inoculation let you fight what you can’t see.”

For more information, visit www.lightingforhumanhealth.com

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