[UVC SAFETY WARNING] Is 254nm harmful to plants?

[bvf]

[UV SAFETY] UV-C Light Is Dangerous

 

NEVER look at a UV-C light.

NEVER let UV-C light hit your skin or eyes directly or by reflection.

UV-C light can cause:

• severe burns of the eyes and the skin, and
• DNA damage from broken chromosomes.

When working with UV-C illumination, you MUST:

• cover up completely, 
• wear head & eye protection, and
• have strong ventilation.

 

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I'm still waiting to start my trials with using 254nm UV to induce fluorescence. (The lamp has arrived, but the filter was chipped, so awaiting a replacement.)

 

I've taken on board all the advice for personal safety and have a strategy to protect myself.

 

But does anyone know whether 254nm light could be harmful to plants? My wife is not going to be very happy if I kill off her orchids, etc., with my little experiments.

[Andy Perrin]

Bernard, I have no idea, but given they didn't evolve to deal with it, and given 254nm is destructive to DNA, I would ASSUME that's a yes until proven otherwise!

[Cadmium]

Even those reptile bulbs, someone I know had one they were using for a plant flower shoot, and the plant suffered severely. I think those are mostly UVB?

http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/reptile_uvb200.php

Given that UVC will destroy DNA, I wouldn't use it for anything that is alive, it will also break down materials also.

[dabateman]

Quick literature search and yes. Spontaneous mutations were detected, fruit was found to ripen faster and things died.

I didn't note the intensity or duration. But I would stick to rocks, and salad items. As in the tops of stuff you are not going to eat.

 

The turmeric I irradiated for 20 minutes with 2 15W UVC bulbs did dry up a bit and changed.

[Andy Perrin]

Dabateman, don’t feed it blood.

[Stefano]

Given the effect UVC has on bananas, as I personally tested, I guess it does nasty things on plants too.

[Andrea B.]

I've accidentally trashed flowers with "ordinary" UV light.

 

It is probably better to get some flowers from the grocery store or florist shop for use with UVB or UVC.

 

Bernard, don't forget to post UVC warnings with any UVC work you might show here.