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	UV Radiation and Light

Presented in conjunction with Safe.T.C, Exclusive Representative in Israel - www.safetc.com
Prepared for Responsibility for Conservation in Museums and Archives in Israel conference by Josef Susser, 2011.

It is a must to Protect

Visible Light is produced within the spectrum of electromagnetic energy that include radio waves, microwaves, x-rays and ultraviolet rays. The cause of fading is due to a photochemical reaction involving UV and visible light.

UV Radiation

The UV radiation found in fluorescent lighting is present in two forms:

• UVB (280-320 nm)
  
• UVA (320-400 nm)
  

UVB rays pose a much greater risk of causing skin cancer than UVA rays. UV radiation has long been known to cause a myriad of health problems. Some sources indicate that fluorescent lights emit more UVB than the sun. In the 1992 edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology It was found that fluorescent lights emit "10-30 times more UVB radiation than the sun does." Of course UVB radiation has been found to be carcinogenic.

Fluorescent Lamps

Of the total electricity used to light a fluorescent lamp:

• Approximately 60% is required to produce UV radiation
  
• 20% of that UV radiation is used to produce visible light
  
• The remaining 80% is either emitted as UVA and UVB radiation, or is radiated as heat

People who work in the grocery, restaurant, food processing and deli industry know:

• Food that remains under fluorescent lighting for a short time spoils quickly
• As a matter of fact, the closer it is to the bulb, the faster the food spoils
  
• In 1997, Cornell University studies found that:
• 50% of vitamin A and riboflavin in milk may be lost after only 24 hours of fluorescent light exposure

UV Radiation & Fading

• 40% of fading is caused by UV rays
• Another 25% of fading is due to heat, with 25% being caused by normal visible light
  
• The remaining 10% cause of fading is from indoor artificial lighting, humidity and poor saturation
  
• Visible light and UV radiation cause fading in the cloth materials used to cover books

Damaging Wavelengths

• Electromagnetic energy is measured in nanometers (nm)
  
• UV is present from 100-400 nm
  
• Visible light is present from 400-700 nm
  
• That means that energy that exists from 100-700 nm is responsible for 65% of all fading

• UV-A rays cause more serious long-term damage
  They penetrate and ruin your carpets, fabrics, window treatments, wall coverings, and fine wood furnishings.
  
  
• UV-B rays quickly bleach and burn surface colors
  UVA
  ULTRAVIOLET
  100 280 400 700
  WAVELENGTH (nm)
  VISIBLE INFRARED
  U UVB VC
  315

We know how to protect Artwork Ceramics Costumes Fabrics Manuscripts Paintings Photographs Rare Documents Tapestries   GAM UV protective materials approved by: American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Choose from:

GAM UV ROLLS Sizes: 24" x 16' 6" Junior Roll 24" x 50' Roll 48" x 25' Roll	Rolls are ideal for larger areas such as display cases. The material can be easily cut to fit special sizes with a matt knife or scissors.
GAMTUBE™ Sizes: T2 to T12, up to 8' in length, and for bi-axial lamps.	GAMTubes are reusable sleeves that slide easily onto fluorescent lamps, and are available in any GAMColor.
GAM UV SHEETS Sizes: 20" x 24" Sheets	Sheets are ideal for small cases and sleeves. Trim to fit with matt knife or scissors.
WINDOWGRIP™ Sizes: 48" x 25' Rolls	Adhesive backing makes application to windows easy for semi-permanent installations. Can be peeled off for easy removal. Apply to windows where harmful ultraviolet rays need to be blocked.
ROLL DOWN UV SHADE Sizes: Custom sizes up to 72" x 12' length	The roll shade can be raised or lowered to block harmful UV light as needed. Other shade materials are available for minimizing heat from sunlight, for privacy and color correction.
GAMCHROICS Sizes: Custom	Glass dichroic filters in custom sizes block infrared and/or ultraviolet light. GAMCHROICS are also available in decorative colors.

Protection from 200 to 400 nm

Protect your rare and precious documents, photographs, paintings, and fabrics from the destructive effects of ultraviolet light.

Fluorescent lamps and sunlight emit high levels of UV light. High energy radiation in the 200 to 400 nanometers segment of the electromagnetic spectrum can be most harmful to paper, paintings, parchment, dyes and pigments of all kinds. GamColor® clear, colorless polyester film effectively filters 97% of the ultraviolet radiation in this wavelength band, preventing colors from fading. The images below illustrate how a color print can fade after long term exposure to UV light.

	FADING
	With GAMColor protection	Without GAMColor protection Artwork by Tamara Guion

GamTubes™

GAMTUBE™ Application

SuperTube™

SuperTube™ is a GamTube™ with a first layer (closest to the lamp) of UV filter and a second layer of GamColor®. The UV filter
helps to extend the color life expectancy by filtering out the high UV content of the fluorescent lamp. SuperTube™ effectively doubles the life expectancy of a standard GamTube™ in the same situation. In an installation where we would expect one year of color life, the SuperTube™ would double it to two years. SuperTube™ is recommended to minimize maintenance frequency.
Super/Supertube™ is a first layer of UV (closest to the lamp) a second layer of color and a third layer of UV filter. The
first layer of UV is to protect the color from the high UV content of the fluorescent lamp. The outside layer of UV filter
protects the color from the UV of the sunlight. Super/Supertube™ is recommended for outdoor fixtures exposed to sunlight. The Super/Supertube™ should be mounted within the enclosed fixture to protect it from the weather.

Summary of conditions for storage and display