MR16 Halogens

Studies of Effects of UV Radiation

The dangers of UV radiation contained in halogen lamps first came to the attention of the public in articles which appeared in Time magazine in April 1992, as well as in other publications showing that lab tests at the University of Geneva in Italy in a study published in the scientific magazine Nature, showed very serious concerns of UV radiation on living organisms. In that report, mice which were exposed to 100 watt halogen lamps during a period of four months had developed malignant skin tumors from that exposure.

Although most commercial lighting professionals will claim that halogen lamps are harmless when used under normal situations, it is well agreed amongst them that UV exposure will have other clearly harmful effects on merchandise and organic material exposed to it. UV radiation for example will discolor, bleach, darken, radiate heat on all types of fabrics, such as clothing, furniture as well as leathers, wood, etc. More damaging still is the effect of radiation on UV and heat sensitive products such as cut flowers, deli meat, produce, fish, fresh foods and salads, which will not only change due to the bleaching effect of UV, but will also dry out and wilt.

UV radiation is an electromagnetic wavelength measured in nanometers, which up to 280 nm is in the UV C region, from 280 to 320 is in the UV B region and above 320 is the UV A region. UV C is the most dangerous radiation on all organic and sensitive materials as it is the most penetrating and cancer causing radiation. The next level, UV B is also very damaging but less penetrating than UV C. UV A is the least harmful and is often used for skin tanning lamps and approved for that use.

PROMOLUX UV Filters

PROMOLUX MR-16 halogen lamps with glass filter reduce completely all UV C radiation as compared to other halogen lamps with out such a filter and cut down 50% of the UV B type radiation. They also reduce substantially the emission of UV A.

PROMOLUX, as a pioneer in developing low UV lamps specially to protect merchandise and display of perishables, continues to work in improving the quality of its lamps and to reduce to minimum levels the radiation of UV from its lamps.

The present range includes a MR-16 Multichrome with or without low UV glass, and a MR-16 Cool Beam with low UV glass. The multichrome halogens have a color corrected multi-coated dichroic reflector which will also substantially reduce infrared radiation's. The cool beam halogen is provided in low infrared dichroic reflector and low UV filter glass at 3500 Kelvin degree temperature light.