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Research & Development

29 February, 2000

Mr. David Gilbert, President
Gilbert Industries, Inc.
5611 Krueger Drive
Jonesboro, AR 72401-6818

Dear Mr. Gilbert:

As you requested, I am providing you with information on several of our Blacklight fluorescent lamps. The lamp safety information is based on ANSI/IESNA RP-27.1-96, Recommended Practice for Photobiological Safety for Lamps and Lamp Systems - General Requirements. The criteria are essentially the Threshold Limit Values of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.

The table below covers the Blacklight fluorescent lamps in which you are interested. Radiant power values are based on analysis of lamps sampled in recent years and the known relations between lamps of various types. All measurements were performed at the standard 100 hour initial rating time with the lamp operated on ANSI specified lamp test ballasts. Spacially total radiant power data are given with S() spectral weighting on the 200-400 nm band and for the spectrally unweighted 320-400 nm UV-A band. This 320-400 nm band corresponds to the region for blacklight effects. There are recommended exposure limits based on each of these quantities.

Lamps	Radiant Power UV-A mW/cm2 S() µW/cm2	0.3 m Distance UV-A mW/cm2 S() µW/cm2 tmax hr	0.6 m Distance UV-A mW/cm2 S() µW/cm2 tmax hr	1.0 m Distance UV-A mW/cm2 S() µW/cm2 tmax hr
F15T8/350BL/ECO F20T12/350BL/ECO F30T8/350BL/ECO F40T12/350BL/ECO	2.9 4.2 7.5 10.6 3.0E-3 4.4E-3 7.7E-3 1.1E-3	0.28 0.35 0.38 0.40 0.29 0.36 0.39 0.41 2-3/4 2-1/4 2 2	0.08 0.11 0.17 0.20 0.09 0.12 0.18 0.20 - 6-3/4 4-1/2 -	0.03 0.04 0.07 0.10 0.03 0.05 0.08 0.10 - - - -

The total spacial radiant power in watts can be used as a basis for calculating irradiance at any point with respect to a lamp. I have calculated irradiance in accord with the ANSI/IESNA criterion, i.e., a maximum incident irradiation of 80º angular extent. The irradiance is at a point on a line through the lamp center and normal to the lamp axis; the elemental area is normal to that line. The evaluations are at 30 cm, 60 cm, and 100 cm distances from the lamp axis. These irradiances can be used to evaluate the exposure limitations defined in the ANSI/IESNA standard.

The UV-A limit for continuous exposure of the eye is 1.0 mW/cm². All of the blacklight lamps meet this condition even for the smallest distance of 30 cm (approximately 12 inches). The S() weighted limit for eye or skin exposure is 0.003 J/cm² per 8-hour period. This corresponds to an irradiance of 0.1 µW/cm². The maximum exposure time (tmax) is calculated from the S() weighted irradiance and is for an 8-hour period. All of these lamps meet the exposure criteria at a one meter distance.

Any application of such data must consider the particular conditions of exposure. Factors could include the cumulative time actually spent at close distances per day, the decrease of lamp emission as the lamp ages, the fact that many commercial ballasts operate lamps below their rating, etc.

The major contribution to the S() summation is in the vicinity of 290 nm to 315 nm. Various materials such as window glass and many plastics will significantly block such radiation with minimal effect on the UV-A blacklight region. Some reflectors will increase the UV irradiance while others highly reflective in the visible are poor reflectors of the shorter wavelength UV.

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me at any time.