History of UV-C light

1801
The German physicist Johann Wilhelm Ritter discovers UV radiation.

Late x. XIX
UV-C is used to kill microorganisms that typically cause problems with indoor air quality (IAQ).

1903
Niels Finsen, Danish-Faroese physician and scientist, wins the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his research on UV-C treatment of lupus vulgaris, also known as tuberculosis of the skin.

1910
UV-C is used to disinfect the water supply in Marseille, France.

1930s
During the 1930s, Westinghouse developed the first commercial UV-C germicidal lamps, used primarily in hospitals.

After WW2
Different spaces and facilities like hospitals, breweries, meat storage and processing plants, dairies, and kitchens; use UV-C to control the threat of microbiological contamination.

1950s
UV-C is incorporated into air handling equipment and becomes a major help in the control and defeat of tuberculosis.

1960s
The introduction and growing availability of new drugs and sterilising cleaners, decrease the concern about pathogens.

1970s
To save energy, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems were shut down.
Condensation accumulated in the systems, and mould and other microbial contaminants multiplied in the dark, damp environment, being released once the systems were turned on again.

2001
By 2001, over 6,000 UV water treatment plants using UV-C light are operating in Europe.

2019
The SARS-CoV2 virus causes a global lockdown, bringing the world to a halt. Different products using UV-C and Far UV-C light appear on the market, bringing disinfection into small businesses and private homes.