This automobile-sized black box is the heart of NIST’s Ultraviolet Spectral Comparator Facility, which holds the instruments used to calibrate UV detectors.
Credit: B. Hayes/NIST
Ultraviolet (UV) light may seem like an invisible hero, quietly disinfecting our hospitals, curing our nail polish, and killing pathogens in our water. But how can we be sure it’s being used in ways that are safe and effective? To help ensure that every UV beam serves its purpose with accuracy and precision, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has rebuilt its specialized calibration laboratory, called the Ultraviolet Spectral Comparator Facility (UVSCF), where industry customers send their UV detection equipment to be precisely measured and calibrated.
UV light serves a wide variety of applications. The germicidal properties of UV light make it a valuable tool for sanitization and disinfection, especially in health-care settings. It also is an effective way to combat microbial contamination in water and is used for drinking water, wastewater and surface water disinfection. Homeowners use UV-cured epoxy to put new kitchen countertops in place. In the nail salon industry, UV light boxes cure gel nail products. And, in recent years, a proliferation of new consumer products, such as UV-protective clothing, prevent unwanted exposure to UV light. Carefully calibrated UV light sources are needed to ensure that these products work as intended.
Understanding the UV Spectrum
Ultraviolet light is invisible, having shorter wavelengths than the light we can see with our eyes. There are three different categories of UV light based on the wavelength: UVA, UVB and UVC. Wavelength refers to the distance between the peaks of a light wave and, when visible, different colors of light. While NIST's new calibration system caters to all three, its uniq ..
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